Testing the Effectiveness of Two Psychosocial Interventions on Socio-Cognitive Risk Factors for HIV/AIDS in Mozambican Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of two psychosocial interventions (Didactic and ACCENT) on socio-cognitive risk factors, in vulnerable Mozambican women at risk for HIV/AIDS infection. The study design was a randomized controlled trial on Mozambican women at HIV/AIDS risk (n = 150). The participants were randomized into three groups: Didactic Intervention (experimental group), ACCENT intervention (experimental group), and control group. We used an adapted version of the Women's Health Questionnaire, which includes a series of scales and questionnaires assessing psychosocial relevant dimensions to female protection towards HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS knowledge, condom use negotiation self-efficacy, and perceived barriers against safer sex. Both interventions were equally effective in increasing HIV/AIDS knowledge. The ACCENT intervention was especially effective in promoting condom use negotiation self-efficacy and in decreasing perceived barriers against safer sex, essential variables for sexual protection. These results support the adaptation of Western interventions to the African context.

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Interactive Cognitive-Motor Step Training Improves Cognitive Risk Factors of Falling in Older Adults – A Randomized Controlled Trial

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0145161 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. e0145161 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Daniel Schoene ◽

Trinidad Valenzuela ◽

Barbara Toson ◽

Kim Delbaere ◽

Connie Severino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Older Adults ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Cognitive Risk ◽

Cognitive Risk Factors

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Predicting On-Road Driving Skills, Fitness to Drive, and Prospective Accident Risk in Older Drivers and Drivers with Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Importance of Non-Cognitive Risk Factors

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-200943 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 79 (1) ◽

pp. 401-414

Author(s):

Max Toepper ◽

Philipp Schulz ◽

Thomas Beblo ◽

Martin Driessen

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Older Drivers ◽

Accident Risk ◽

Fitness To Drive ◽

Cognitive Predictors ◽

Driving Skills ◽

Cognitive Risk ◽

Cognitive Risk Factors

Background: On-road driving behavior can be impaired in older drivers and particularly in drivers with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Objective: To determine whether cognitive and non-cognitive risk factors for driving safety may allow an accurate and economic prediction of on-road driving skills, fitness to drive, and prospective accident risk in healthy older drivers and drivers with MCI, we examined a representative combined sample of older drivers with and without MCI (N = 74) in an observational on-road study. In particular, we examined whether non-cognitive risk factors improve predictive accuracy provided by cognitive factors alone. Methods: Multiple and logistic hierarchical regression analyses were utilized to predict different driving outcomes. In all regression models, we included cognitive predictors alone in a first step and added non-cognitive predictors in a second step. Results: Results revealed that the combination of cognitive and non-cognitive risk factors significantly predicted driving skills (R2adjusted = 0.30) and fitness to drive (81.2% accuracy) as well as the number (R2adjusted = 0.21) and occurrence (88.3% accuracy) of prospective minor at-fault accidents within the next 12 months. In all analyses, the inclusion of non-cognitive risk factors led to a significant increase of explained variance in the different outcome variables. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a combination of the most robust cognitive and non-cognitive risk factors may allow an economic and accurate prediction of on-road driving performance and prospective accident risk in healthy older drivers and drivers with MCI. Therefore, non-cognitive risk factors appear to play an important role.

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Efficacy of axial TheraTogs on gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial

Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy ◽

10.1186/s43161-021-00030-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shamekh Mohamed El-Shamy ◽

Ehab Mohamed Abd El Kafy

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Physical Therapy ◽

Muscle Tone ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Gait Pattern ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Gait Parameters ◽

Experimental Group

Abstract Background TheraTogs promotes proprioceptive sense of a child with cerebral palsy and improves abnormal muscle tone, posture alignment, balance, and gait. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of TheraTogs orthotic undergarment on gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Thirty children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy were selected for this randomized controlled study. They were randomly assigned to (1) an experimental group that received TheraTogs orthotic undergarment (12 h/day, 3 days/week) plus traditional physical therapy for 3 successive months and (2) a control group that received only traditional physical therapy program for the same time period. Gait parameters were measured at baseline and after 3 months of intervention using Pro-Reflex motion analysis. Results Children in both groups showed significant improvements in the gait parameters (P < 0.05), with significantly greater improvements in the experimental group than in the control group. Conclusions The use of TheraTogs may have a positive effect to improve gait pattern in children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Trial registration This trial was registered in the ClinicalTrial.gov PRS (NCT03037697).

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METABOLIC RISK FACTORS AND THE EFFECT OF ALIROCUMAB ON CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN PATIENTS AFTER ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ODYSSEY OUTCOMES RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Journal of the American College of Cardiology ◽

10.1016/s0735-1097(21)01509-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 77 (18) ◽

pp. 150

Author(s):

Petr Ostadal ◽

Philippe Gabriel Steg ◽

Yan Poulouin ◽

Deepak Bhatt ◽

Vera Bittner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Acute Coronary Syndrome ◽

Cardiovascular Events ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Metabolic Risk Factors ◽

Metabolic Risk ◽

Coronary Syndrome ◽

Randomized Controlled

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Protocol of a Multi-centric Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate Efficacy of Telephone-Based Psychosocial Interventions on Future Suicide Risk in Suicide Attempters

Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1177/0253717620971199 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 42 (6_suppl) ◽

pp. S39-S45

Author(s):

Ram Pratap Beniwal ◽

Priya Sreedaran ◽

Uttara Chari ◽

Ashok MV ◽

Triptish Bhatia

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Psychosocial Interventions ◽

Health Treatment ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Telephone Reminders

Background: Persons with previous history of a suicide attempt are at increased future risk of death by suicide. These vulnerable individuals, however, do not seek receive or seek help from mental health services. Telephone-based psychosocial interventions are potential strategies in augmenting mental health care in such persons. Methods: We aim to compare the efficacy of telephone-based psychosocial interventions (TBPI) with routine telephone reminders in persons with recent suicide attempts using a multi-site, parallel group, rater-blind, two-arm randomized controlled trial design in 362 participants. In the first group, participants will receive three sessions of TBPI comprising of brief supportive interventions, problem-solving strategies, and reminders for adherence to prescribed mental health treatment at weekly intervals. In the second group, participants will receive three telephone reminders for adherence to prescribed mental health treatment at weekly intervals. We will follow up participants for 6 months. Primary outcomes are suicidal ideation scores on Beck’s Scale for Suicide Ideation and number of repeat suicide attempts. Secondary outcomes are scores on Beck’s Hopelessness Scale, Beck’s Depression Inventory, Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale and Visual Analogue Rating Scales for acceptability of interventions. Outcomes will be assessed at 1, 3, and 6 months after receiving telephone interventions or reminders. Results: The trial is currently underway after prospective registration under Clinical Trials Registry of India and has recruited 260 participants till August 15, 2020. Conclusion: This study has potential to generate evidence on additional strategies for use along with standard mental health treatments in management of high-risk suicide behaviors.

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The effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation during the first stage of labor: a randomized controlled trial

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-021-03625-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Anne Njogu ◽

Si Qin ◽

Yujie Chen ◽

Lizhen Hu ◽

Yang Luo

Keyword(s):

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Labor Pain ◽

Control Group ◽

Electrical Nerve Stimulation ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Active Labor ◽

Vas Scores ◽

Experimental Group ◽

First Stage Of Labor

Abstract Background Labor pain during childbirth can have devastating effects on the progress of labor, mother, and fetus. Consequently, the management of labor pain is crucial for the well-being of the mother and fetus. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a non -pharmacological analgesic technique. It uses a low-voltage electrical current to activate descending inhibitory systems in the central nervous system to relieve pain. This study aimed to determine the effects of TENS therapy in the first stage of labor. Methods In this single-blind randomized controlled trial, we screened low-risk pregnant women who anticipated spontaneous vaginal delivery. Women were assigned (1:1) to either the experimental group (received TENS therapy in the first stage of labor) or the control group (received routine obstetric care). The women, midwives, and researchers working in the gynecology and obstetric department were aware of the treatment group, but statisticians analysis the data were blinded. The primary outcome was labor pain intensity, assessed by visual analog scale (VAS) immediately after the randomization, at 30, 60, and 120 min after TENS therapy, and 2–24 h post-delivery. We used SPSS 21.0 software in data analysis. An independent sample t-test compared the mean VAS scores and labor duration between groups. A Chi-square test was employed to compare categorical variables between the groups. A significant level of ≤0.05 was statistically significant. Results A total of 326 pregnant women were eligible: experimental group (n = 161) and control group (n = 165). The experimental group had statistically significantly lower mean VAS scores at a different time (30, 60, and 120 min post-intervention and 2–24 h post-delivery) than the control group (p < 0.001). The experimental group demonstrated a statistically significant shorter duration of the active labor phase than the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion This study indicates that TENS can be used as a non-pharmacological therapy to reduce pain and shorten the active labor phase. Trial registration ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN23857995. Registered on 11/12/2020, ‘retrospectively registered.

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