scholarly journals Effect of a Parent-Focused eHealth Intervention on Children’s Fruit, Vegetable, and Discretionary Food Intake (Food4toddlers): Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margrethe Røed ◽  
Anine C Medin ◽  
Frøydis N Vik ◽  
Elisabet R Hillesund ◽  
Wendy Van Lippevelde ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND In western countries, children’s diets are often low in fruits and vegetables and high in discretionary foods. Diet in early life tends to track through childhood and youth and even into adulthood. Interventions should, therefore, be delivered in periods when habitual traits are established, as in toddlerhood when children adapt to their family’s diet. OBJECTIVE In this study, we assessed the effect of the Food4toddlers eHealth intervention, which aimed to enhance toddlers’ diets by shaping their food and eating environment. METHODS The Food4toddlers randomized controlled trial was conducted in Norway in 2017-2018. Parent-child dyads were recruited through social media. In total, 298 parents completed an online questionnaire at baseline (mean child age 10.9 months, SD 1.2). Postintervention questionnaires were completed immediately after the intervention (ie, follow-up 1; mean child age 17.8 months, SD 1.3) and 6 months after the intervention (ie, follow-up 2; mean child age 24.2 months, SD 1.9). The intervention was guided by social cognitive theory, which targets the linked relationship between the person, the behavior, and the environment. The intervention group (148/298, 49.7%) got access to the Food4toddlers website for 6 months from baseline. The website included information on diet and on how to create a healthy food and eating environment as well as activities, recipes, and collaboration opportunities. To assess intervention effects on child diet from baseline to follow-up 1 and from baseline to follow-up 2, we used generalized estimating equations and a time × group interaction term. Between-group differences in changes over time for frequency and variety of fruits and vegetables and frequency of discretionary foods were assessed. RESULTS At follow-up 1, a significant time × group interaction was observed for the frequency of vegetable intake (<i>P</i>=.02). The difference between groups in the change from baseline to follow-up 1 was 0.46 vegetable items per day (95% CI 0.06-0.86) in favor of the intervention group. No other significant between-group differences in dietary changes from baseline to follow-up 1 or follow-up 2 were observed. However, there is a clear time trend showing that the intake of discretionary foods increases by time from less than 1 item per week at baseline to more than 4 items per week at 2 years of age (<i>P</i>&lt;.001), regardless of group. CONCLUSIONS A positive intervention effect was observed for the frequency of vegetable intake at follow-up 1 but not at follow-up 2. No other between-group effects on diet were observed. eHealth interventions of longer duration, including reminders after the main content of the intervention has been delivered, may be needed to obtain long-terms effects, along with tailoring in a digital or a personal form. CLINICALTRIAL International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 92980420; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN92980420

10.2196/18311 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. e18311
Author(s):  
Margrethe Røed ◽  
Anine C Medin ◽  
Frøydis N Vik ◽  
Elisabet R Hillesund ◽  
Wendy Van Lippevelde ◽  
...  

Background In Western countries, children’s diets are often low in fruits and vegetables and high in discretionary foods. Diet in early life tends to track through childhood and youth and even into adulthood. Interventions should, therefore, be delivered in periods when habitual traits are established, as in toddlerhood when children adapt to their family’s diet. Objective In this study, we assessed the effect of the Food4toddlers eHealth intervention, which aimed to enhance toddlers’ diets by shaping their food and eating environment. Methods The Food4toddlers randomized controlled trial was conducted in Norway in 2017-2018. Parent-child dyads were recruited through social media. In total, 298 parents completed an online questionnaire at baseline (mean child age 10.9 months, SD 1.2). Postintervention questionnaires were completed immediately after the intervention (ie, follow-up 1; mean child age 17.8 months, SD 1.3) and 6 months after the intervention (ie, follow-up 2; mean child age 24.2 months, SD 1.9). The intervention was guided by social cognitive theory, which targets the linked relationship between the person, the behavior, and the environment. The intervention group (148/298, 49.7%) got access to the Food4toddlers website for 6 months from baseline. The website included information on diet and on how to create a healthy food and eating environment as well as activities, recipes, and collaboration opportunities. To assess intervention effects on child diet from baseline to follow-up 1 and from baseline to follow-up 2, we used generalized estimating equations and a time × group interaction term. Between-group differences in changes over time for frequency and variety of fruits and vegetables and frequency of discretionary foods were assessed. Results At follow-up 1, a significant time × group interaction was observed for the frequency of vegetable intake (P=.02). The difference between groups in the change from baseline to follow-up 1 was 0.46 vegetable items per day (95% CI 0.06-0.86) in favor of the intervention group. No other significant between-group differences in dietary changes from baseline to follow-up 1 or follow-up 2 were observed. However, there is a clear time trend showing that the intake of discretionary foods increases by time from less than 1 item per week at baseline to more than 4 items per week at 2 years of age (P<.001), regardless of group. Conclusions A positive intervention effect was observed for the frequency of vegetable intake at follow-up 1 but not at follow-up 2. No other between-group effects on diet were observed. eHealth interventions of longer duration, including reminders after the main content of the intervention has been delivered, may be needed to obtain long-terms effects, along with tailoring in a digital or a personal form. Trial Registration International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 92980420; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN92980420


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 146045822199640
Author(s):  
Faranak Kazemi Majd ◽  
Vahideh Zarea Gavgani ◽  
Ali Golmohammadi ◽  
Ali Jafari-Khounigh

In order to understand if a physician prescribed medical information changes, the number of hospital readmission, and death among the heart failure patients. A 12-month randomized controlled trial was conducted (December 2013–2014). Totally, 120 patients were randomly allocated into two groups of intervention ( n = 60) and control ( n = 60). Accordingly, the control group was given the routine oral information by the nurse or physician, and the intervention group received the Information Prescription (IP) prescribed by the physician as well as the routine oral information. The data was collected via telephone interviews with the follow-up intervals of 6 and 12 months, and also for 1 year after the discharge. The patients with the median age of (IQR) 69.5 years old (19.8) death upon adjusting a Cox survival model, [RR = 0.67, 95%CI: 0.46–0.97]. Few patients died during 1 year in the intervention group compared to the controls (7 vs 15) [RR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.20–1.06]. During a period of 6-month follow-up there was not statistically significant on death and readmission between two groups. Physician prescribed information was clinically and statistically effective on the reduction of death and hospital readmission rates among the HF patients in long term follow-up.


Author(s):  
Pernille Lunde ◽  
Asta Bye ◽  
Astrid Bergland ◽  
Birgitta Blakstad Nilsson

Abstract Background Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs are evidence-based and widely recommended. However, benefits from CR are likely lost among individuals who discontinue their regular exercise routines and healthy habits. One possible approach to enhance adherence to lifestyle advice after completion of CR, may be individualized follow-up enabled by a smartphone application (app). Methods A protocol of a single-blinded, pragmatic randomized controlled trial. The study will take place in the eastern part of Norway, and will include heart patients who have completed CR. Participants will be recruited from two CR centers. Based on power calculation, 113 participants will be included. The intervention group will receive individualized follow-up through an app on a weekly basis throughout a year. The app will be set up with the participant’s own goals, and the follow-up will be based on these individual goals. The control group will receive usual care, including general advice regarding physical activity, exercise and diet. The participants will be assessed at baseline (at completion of CR) and 12 months after baseline. Primary outcome of the study will be peak oxygen uptake. Secondary outcomes include exercise performance, quality of life, health status, health literacy, self-perceived goal achievement, exercise habits, body weight, blood pressure as well as lipids and triglycerides. Discussion To our knowledge, this will be the first study to examine the effects of individualized follow-up with an app for one year, in patients completing CR. Hence, it is reasonable to assume that the study may be groundbreaking. Due to the large sample size and the theoretically based intervention, the study has the potential to generate new knowledge that may improve the design of future technology-based follow-up interventions of patients that have completed rehabilitation. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT03174106. First registration, 19/05/2017.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Gregoriano ◽  
Thomas Dieterle ◽  
Anna-Lisa Breitenstein ◽  
Selina Dürr ◽  
Amanda Baum ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Poor medication-adherence is common in chronic lung patients, resulting in reduced health-outcomes and increased healthcare-costs. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an acoustic reminder and support calls on adherence to inhaled therapy in asthma and COPD patients and to determine their effect on exacerbations. Methods This single-blinded randomized controlled trial investigated asthma and COPD patients during 6 months in an ambulatory setting. The intervention consisted of daily alarm clock and support phone calls, whenever use of rescue medication doubled or inhaled medication was not taken as prescribed. Primary outcome was time to next exacerbation. Frequency of exacerbations, adherence to inhaled medication and quality of life scores were secondary outcomes. Cox and Poisson regression were used to determine intervention effect on time to exacerbation and frequency of exacerbations, respectively. Results Seventy-five participants were assigned to the intervention group and 74 to usual follow-up care. During a median follow-up of 6.2 months, 22 and 28% in the intervention and control groups respectively, experienced at least one exacerbation. Intervention had no effect on time to first exacerbation (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.21 to 2.07, P = .24), but showed a trend toward a 39% decreased frequency of exacerbations (RR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.03, P = .070) for the adjusted models, respectively. The intervention group had significantly more days with 80–100% taking adherence regarding puff inhalers (82 ± 14% vs. 60 ± 30%, P < .001) and dry powder capsules (90 ± .10% vs. 80 ± 21%, P = .01). Timing adherence in participants using puff inhalers was higher in the intervention group (69 ± 25% vs. 51 ± 33%, P < .001). No significant differences in QoL were found between the two groups. Conclusion Participants assigned to the intervention group had significantly better taking and timing adherence of inhaled medication resulting in a trend towards a decreased frequency of exacerbations. However, no effect on time to next exacerbation was observed. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02386722, Registered 14 February 2014.


2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 1401-1412 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Otero ◽  
F. Smit ◽  
P. Cuijpers ◽  
A. Torres ◽  
V. Blanco ◽  
...  

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.


2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 1378-1383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Wilby ◽  
Carlo A Marra ◽  
Jack H da Silva ◽  
Maja Grubisic ◽  
Stephanie Harvard ◽  
...  

Background:: Antiretroviral therapy for the management of HIV typically requires the chronic use of 3 or more medications. As such, patients with HIV are required to manage complex dosing schedules and are at risk of multiple potential adverse effects. The use of pictograms on medication vials as a means of improving patients' understanding of medication information has been shown to positively influence understanding and adherence compared to those using text atone. Objective: To determine whether pictograms (Pharmaglyph) increase patient recall of targeted information associated with HIV medications and whether patients can interpret the intended meaning of pictograms that they had not seen previously. Methods: A randomized, controlled trial was conducted in HIV-positive patients aged 19 years or older who were receiving a new prescription for an antiretroviral medication from the ambulatory pharmacy at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Participants were randomized to receive either pictogram-enhanced medication information or standard counseling. At the first follow-up visit, each patient's recall of the medication information was evaluated, and differences between groups were compared. Results: Eighty-two subjects were randomized, 40 to the intervention group and 42 to the control arm. The mean (SD) number of HIV medications was nearly equal between the intervention and control groups: 3.0 (1.5) and 3.1 (1.4), respectively. After a mean of 34 days, 33 patients in the intervention arm and 39 in the control arm completed the study. The majority (88%) of the targeted pieces of information in the intervention group were correctly identified at follow-up, compared to only 2% in the control group (Fisher exact test; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Pictograms improve the recall of targeted medication information among patients receiving antiretroviral therapy for HIV management; however, this appears to be dependent on the fact that these patients received a verbal explanation of each pictogram prior to use.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Zimmer ◽  
Nan Wang ◽  
Merle Ibach ◽  
Bernhard Fehlmann ◽  
Nathalie Schicktanz ◽  
...  

Although in vivo exposure therapy is highly effective in the treatment of specific phobias, only a minority of patients seeks therapy. Exposure to virtual objects has been shown to be better tolerated, equally efficacious, but the technology has not been made widely accessible yet. We developed an augmented reality (AR) application (app) to reduce fear of spiders and performed a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of our app (six 30-min sessions at home over a two-week period) with no intervention. Primary outcome was subjective fear, measured by a Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) in a Behavioural Approach Test (BAT) in a real-life spider situation at six weeks follow-up. Between Oct 7, 2019, and Dec 6, 2019, 66 individuals were enrolled and randomized. The intervention led to significantly lower subjective fear in the BAT compared to the control group (intervention group, baseline: 7·12 [SD 2·03] follow-up: 5·03 [SD 2·19] vs. control group, baseline: 7·06 [SD 2·34], follow-up 6·24 [SD 2.21]; adjusted group difference -1·24, 95% CI -2·17 to -0·31; Cohen’s d=0·57, p=0·01). The repeated use of the AR app reduces subjective fear in a real-life spider situation, providing a low-threshold and low-cost treatment for fear of spiders.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Mallekmahmoodi ◽  
Mohsen Shamsi ◽  
Nasrin Roozbahani ◽  
Rahmatollah Moradzadeh

Abstract Background: Diabetes is the most prevalent disease resulted from metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effect of training based on health belief model (HBM) on oral hygiene-related behaviors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This study was conducted as an educational randomized controlled trial (single blind) on 120 patients with type 2 diabetes referring to a diabetes clinic selected through systematic sampling, who were assigned to two groups of control (N=60) and intervention (N=60). The data collection tool was a valid and reliable questionnaire based on HBM which was completed by both groups before the intervention. Then, the intervention group received 4 sessions of educational program based on HBM in one month, and the same questionnaire was completed again after 3 months and the data were analyzed through SPSS version 20 software with inferential statistics, t-test, paired t-tests, Chi square, Mann-Whitney test, and Wilcoxon test analysis. Results: Three months after the intervention, awareness of the patients and perceived susceptibility, benefits, self-efficacy, internal cue to action, and performance in oral and dental hygiene-related behaviors had a significant increase in the intervention group (p<0.05). So that the performance of oral and dental hygiene in the intervention group increased from 2.16 ± 0.71 to 3.25 ± 0.49 (p=0.001) after the education. Conclusion: Our results suggest that training patients with diabetes based on HBM as well as through active follow-up can enhance their skills in oral and dental hygiene-related behaviors. Controlling, monitoring and follow-up during the program are also recommended.


Author(s):  
Jeewanthika Ekanayaka ◽  
Chan Kim Geok ◽  
Bernadette Matthews ◽  
Samath D. Dharmaratne

Drowning among young adults is high in Sri Lanka. Water safety education is a recommended strategy for drowning prevention but is often overlooked for young adults. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an adapted educational intervention, “Swim for Safety” on improving water safety knowledge, attitudes and survival swimming skills among undergraduates (19–28 years) in Sri Lanka. This study employed a parallel-group, two-arm randomized controlled trial design. The intervention group (n = 78) received a face-to-face, 12-lesson education programme, and the control group (n = 78) received a brochure and weekly mobile phone messages for six consecutive weeks. Baseline, post-intervention and three-month follow-up knowledge, attitudes and skills were evaluated. Knowledge and attitudes were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire and skills were evaluated following a skills assessment protocol. In total 116 participants, 60 intervention group and 56 control group, completed the study. At baseline there were no differences between groups in median scores of water safety knowledge, attitudes and survival swimming skills. The intervention group demonstrated statistically significant increases in median water safety knowledge, attitudes and survival swimming skill scores compared with the control group, following the intervention and maintained at three-month follow-up (p < 0.05). The adapted Swim for Safety programme significantly improved water safety knowledge, attitudes, and survival swimming skills among young adults in Sri Lanka. Therefore, it is recommended that the SfS programme be implemented widely to prevent drowning in young adults.


10.2196/13628 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. e13628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Bee Hui Yap ◽  
Mairead C Cardamone-Breen ◽  
Ronald M Rapee ◽  
Katherine A Lawrence ◽  
Andrew J Mackinnon ◽  
...  

Background Prevention of depression and anxiety disorders early in life is a global health priority. Evidence on risk and protective factors for youth internalizing disorders indicates that the family represents a strategic setting to target preventive efforts. Despite this evidence base, there is a lack of accessible, cost-effective preventive programs for parents of adolescents. To address this gap, we recently developed the Partners in Parenting (PiP) program—an individually tailored Web-based parenting program targeting evidence-based parenting risk and protective factors for adolescent depression and anxiety disorders. We previously reported the postintervention outcomes of a single-blinded parallel-group superiority randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which PiP was found to significantly improve self-reported parenting compared with an active-control condition (educational factsheets). Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the PiP program on parenting risk and protective factors and symptoms of adolescent depression and anxiety using data from the final assessment time point (12-month follow-up) of this RCT. Methods Parents (n=359) and adolescents (n=332) were recruited primarily from secondary schools and completed Web-based assessments of parenting and adolescent depression and anxiety symptoms at baseline, postintervention (3 months later), and 12-month follow-up (317 parents, 287 adolescents). Parents in the PiP intervention condition received personalized feedback about their parenting and were recommended a series of up to 9 interactive modules. Control group parents received access to 5 educational factsheets about adolescent development and mental health. Both groups received a weekly 5-min phone call to encourage progress through their program. Results Intervention group parents completed an average of 73.7% of their intended program. For the primary outcome of parent-reported parenting, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement from baseline to 12-month follow-up compared with controls, with a medium effect size (Cohen d=0.51; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.72). When transformed data were used, greater reduction in parent-reported adolescent depressive symptoms was observed in the intervention group (Cohen d=−0.21; 95% CI −0.42 to −0.01). Mediation analyses revealed that these effects were mediated by improvements in parenting (indirect effect b=−0.08; 95% CI −0.16 to −0.01). No other significant intervention effects were found for adolescent-reported parenting or adolescent depression or anxiety symptoms. Both groups showed significant reductions in anxiety (both reporters) and depressive (parent reported) symptoms. Conclusions PiP improved self-reported parenting for up to 9 months postintervention, but its effects on adolescent symptoms were less conclusive, and parent-reported changes were not perceived by adolescents. Nonetheless, given its scalability, PiP may be a useful low-cost, sustainable program to empower parents of adolescents. Trial Registration Australian Clinical Trials Registration Number (ACTRN): 12615000328572; http://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12615000328572.aspx (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6qgsZ3Aqj).


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