scholarly journals Alcohol_Focused Drowning Prevention Campaigns: What Do We Know and What Should We Do Now?

Author(s):  
Hannah Calverley ◽  
Lauren Petrass ◽  
Jennifer Blitvich

Alcohol and drugs have been identified as key risk factors for youth (aged 15-24 years) and adult drownings in high-income countries (HIC). Whilst alcohol specific drowning prevention education programs have been developed and implemented, youth continue to be over-represented in drowning statistics, including those linked with alcohol. Therefore, this project aimed to: (i) review and assess all alcohol themed drowning prevention campaigns within HICs; (ii) determine whether the campaign had undergone evaluation for effectiveness; and (iii) provide recommendations to improve the effectiveness of future interventions. For each of the eighty-one HICs identified for the 2019 fiscal year, searches of peer-reviewed literature (through academic databases) and grey literature (through webpages and emails to organisations) were conducted. Twelve alcohol focused campaigns were identified, with only two providing limited information about program evaluation. For most campaigns identified, there was a dearth of information available and therefore assessment of campaign quality was unfeasible. This brief report highlights a lack of alcohol themed drowning prevention campaigns in HIC, and an absence of evaluations on their effectiveness. Implications associated with a lack of program evaluation are discussed and adoption of the recommendations from this brief report should enhance the quality of future research in this area.

Author(s):  
Hannah Calverley ◽  
Lauren Petrass ◽  
Jennifer Blitvich

Alcohol and drugs have been identified as key risk factors for youth (aged 15-24 years) and adult drownings in high-income countries (HIC). Whilst alcohol specific drowning prevention education programs have been developed and implemented, youth continue to be over-represented in drowning statistics, including those linked with alcohol. Therefore, this project aimed to: (i) review and assess all alcohol themed drowning prevention campaigns within HICs; (ii) determine whether the campaign had undergone evaluation for effectiveness; and (iii) provide recommendations to improve the effectiveness of future interventions. For each of the eighty-one HICs identified for the 2019 fiscal year, searches of peer-reviewed literature (through academic databases) and grey literature (through webpages and emails to organisations) were conducted. Twelve alcohol focused campaigns were identified, with only two providing limited information about program evaluation. For most campaigns identified, there was a dearth of information available and therefore assessment of campaign quality was unfeasible. This brief report highlights a lack of alcohol themed drowning prevention campaigns in HIC, and an absence of evaluations on their effectiveness. Implications associated with a lack of program evaluation are discussed and adoption of the recommendations from this brief report should enhance the quality of future research in this area.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt X. Richardson ◽  
Maria Ehn ◽  
Sara Landerdahl Stridsberg ◽  
Ken Redekop ◽  
Sarah Wamala-Andersson

Abstract Background Nocturnal digital surveillance technologies are being widely implemented as interventions for remotely monitoring elderly populations, and often replace person-based surveillance. Such interventions are often placed in care institutions or in the home, and monitored by qualified personnel or relatives, enabling more rapid and/or frequent assessment of the individual’s need for assistance than through on-location visits. This systematic review summarized the effects of these surveillance technologies on health, welfare and social care provision outcomes in populations ≥ 50 years, compared to standard care. Method Primary studies published 2005–2020 that assessed these technologies were identified in 11 databases of peer-reviewed literature and numerous grey literature sources. Initial screening, full-text screening, and citation searching steps yielded the studies included in the review. The Risk of Bias and ROBINS-I tools were used for quality assessment of the included studies. Result Five studies out of 744 identified records met inclusion criteria. Health-related outcomes (e.g. accidents, 2 studies) and social care outcomes (e.g. staff burden, 4 studies) did not differ between interventions and standard care. Quality of life and affect showed improvement (1 study each), as did economic outcomes (1 study). The quality of studies was low however, with all studies possessing a high to critical risk of bias. Conclusions We found little evidence for the benefit of nocturnal digital surveillance interventions as compared to standard care in several key outcomes. Higher quality intervention studies should be prioritized in future research to provide more reliable evidence.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Carroll ◽  
Cara Safon ◽  
Gabriela Buccini ◽  
Mireya Vilar-Compte ◽  
Graciela Teruel ◽  
...  

Abstract Despite the well-established evidence that breastfeeding improves maternal and child health outcomes, global rates of exclusive breastfeeding remain low. Cost estimates can inform stakeholders about the financial resources needed to scale up interventions to ultimately improve breastfeeding outcomes in low-, middle- and high-income countries. To inform the development of comprehensive costing frameworks, this systematic review aimed to (1) identify costing studies for implementing or scaling-up breastfeeding interventions, (2) assess the quality of identified costing studies and (3) examine the availability of cost data to identify gaps that need to be addressed through future research. Peer-reviewed and grey literature were systematically searched using a combination of index terms and relevant text words related to cost and the following breastfeeding interventions: breastfeeding counselling, maternity leave, the World Health Organization International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, media promotion, workplace support and pro-breastfeeding social policies. Data were extracted after having established inter-rater reliability among the first two authors. The quality of studies was assessed using an eight-item checklist for key costing study attributes. Forty-five studies met the inclusion criteria, with the majority including costs for breastfeeding counselling and paid maternity leave. Most cost analyses included key costing study attributes; however, major weaknesses among the studies were the lack of clarity on costing perspectives and not accounting for the uncertainty of reported cost estimates. Costing methodologies varied substantially, standardized costing frameworks are needed for reliably estimating the costs of implementing and scaling-up breastfeeding interventions at local-, national- or global-levels.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett Williams ◽  
Bronwyn Beovich

Abstract Background Empathy is an important characteristic to possess for healthcare professionals. It has been found to improve communication between professionals and patients and to improve clinical health outcomes. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) was developed to measure this quality and has been used extensively, and psychometrically appraised, with a variety of cohorts and in different cultural environments. However, no study has been undertaken to systematically examine the methodological quality of studies which have assessed psychometric factors of the JSE. This systematic review will examine the quality of published papers that have reported on psychometric factors of the JSE. Methods A systematic review of studies which report on the psychometric properties of the JSE will be conducted. We will use a predefined search strategy to identify studies meeting the following eligibility criteria: original data is reported on for at least one of the psychometric measurement properties described in the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) Risk of Bias checklist, examines the JSE in a healthcare cohort (using the student, physician or health profession versions of the JSE), and is published from January 2001 and in the English language. Conference abstracts, editorials and grey literature will be excluded. Six electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, PsychInfo, PubMed, Web of Science and CINAHL) will be systematically searched for articles meeting these criteria and studies will be assessed for eligibility by two review authors. The methodological quality of included papers will be examined using the COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist. Discussion A narrative description of the findings will be presented along with summary tables. Recommendations for use of the JSE with various cohorts and circumstances will be offered which may inform future research in this field. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42018111412


Author(s):  
Salome Scholtens ◽  
Carla Petroll ◽  
Carlos Rivas ◽  
Joke Fleer ◽  
Barna Konkolÿ Thege

AbstractThis article—published in the Journal Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation.— presents a systematic overview of the current empirical evidence of the effectiveness of the systemic constellation method when applied in organisations.Although the systemic constellation method is increasingly used for team coaching, organisational development and transformation processes, among others, scientific evidence on the effectiveness and quality of this method is still scarce. This may hamper the broader implementation of a potentially useful approach. Altogether, ten electronic databases were searched up to January, 2020. Multiple languages, qualitative and quantitative designs, and academic and grey literature were included. The search resulted in the identification of 79 potentially relevant publications, seven of which were prospective and 13 were retrospective effectiveness studies in terms of organisational outcomes. Only two of the seven prospective studies used a controlled design. This review concludes that the empirical evidence on the systemic organisational constellation method points toward a potentially effective intervention in the organisational context. However, it is too early to make firm conclusions as the number of studies was small and quality of the studies was low in general.The present systematic review summarises the literature on the systemic constellation method applied in organisations. It offers coaches and consultants insights into the method from a scientific perspective and describes potential mechanisms of action regarding the intervention. The results of the review provide a solid basis for future research and give directions for new studies to support quality improvement and help us better understand the factors influencing effectiveness.


Author(s):  
Didin Nuruddin Hidayat

Numerous research studies on language program evaluation in many countries, for instance, Turkey (Uysal, 2012), Taiwan (Chang, 2010), Bangladesh (Rahman, 2007), Saudi Arabia (Liton, 2013) have yielded valuable ideas and insights in improving the quality of language programs. Those research studies have also expanded the plethora of discussion and have tested many ‘untested’ thoughts in the area of language program evaluation. Nonetheless, similar studies have not been researched much far in the Indonesian education context. The present study aims to describe the importance of English teacher education program evaluation. Also, the study aims to explore a suitable evaluation model in evaluating English teacher education programs, particularly in the Indonesian tertiary education context. The findings of the study found Peacock's (2009) model as a potential evaluation model to apply in evaluating English teacher education programs. These are based on at least three following grounds: suitable to the needs and environment of English teacher education in Indonesia, reliable and informative evaluation, and thorough involvement of the inner circle stakeholders. The study concludes that if an evaluation is conducted properly, then it has the potential to improve the quality of English language teachers training programs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 1900261 ◽  
Author(s):  
David O'Brien ◽  
Theocharis Stavroulakis ◽  
Susan Baxter ◽  
Paul Norman ◽  
Stephen Bianchi ◽  
...  

BackgroundNoninvasive ventilation (NIV) prolongs survival and quality of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); however, its benefits depend upon the optimisation of both ventilation and adherence. We aimed to identify factors associated with effective initiation and ongoing use of NIV in ALS to develop evidence-based guidance and identify areas for further research.MethodsWe searched 11 electronic databases (January 1998 to May 2018) for all types of quantitative and qualitative studies. Supplementary grey literature searches were conducted. Records were screened against eligibility criteria, data were extracted from included studies and risk of bias was assessed. We present findings using a narrative synthesis.ResultsWe screened 2430 unique records and included 52 quantitative and six qualitative papers. Factors reported to be associated with NIV optimisation included coordinated multidisciplinary care, place of initiation, selection of interfaces, ventilator modes and settings appropriate for the individual patient, and adequate secretion management. The literature indicated that patients with significant bulbar dysfunction can still derive considerable benefit from NIV if their needs are met. Research emphasises that obstructive airway events, mask leak and uncontrolled secretions should be addressed by adjustments to the interface and machine settings, and the concomitant use of cough augmentation.ConclusionThis review highlights that NIV optimisation requires an individualised approach to respiratory management tailored to the differing needs of each patient. Ultimately, this should lead to improved survival and quality of life. This review expands on recommendations in current international guidelines for NIV use in ALS and identifies areas for future research.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waiza Kadri ◽  
Rhiannon Halfpenny ◽  
Breege Whiten ◽  
Christina Smith ◽  
Siofra Mulkerrin

Abstract Background Swallowing impairment (dysphagia) and tracheostomy coexist. Research in this area has often provided an overview of dysphagia management as a whole, but there is limited information pertaining to specific dysphagia therapy in the tracheostomy population. The aim of this scoping review is to provide detailed exploration of the literature with regards to dysphagia therapeutic interventions in adults with a tracheostomy. The scoping review will describe current evidence and thus facilitate future discussions to guide clinical practice.Methods A scoping review using the Joanna Briggs Institute and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews guideline will be used. Ten electronic databases from inception to July 2021and grey literature will be searched. From identified texts forward and backward citation chasing will be completed. Data extraction will compose of population demographics, aetiology and dysphagia therapy (type, design, dose and intensity). Number of citations and papers included into the scoping review will be presented visually.Discussion The scoping review aims to expand upon the existing literature in this field. A detailed description of the evidence is required to facilitate clinical discussions and develop therapeutic protocols in a tracheostomised population. The results of this scoping review will support future research in dysphagia therapy and provide the basis for development of best practice guidelines.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (S9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongkui Cao ◽  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Bo Jin ◽  
Shicheng Cheng ◽  
Xiaopeng Wei ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The historical data of rare disease is very scarce in reality, so how to perform drug repositioning for the rare disease is a great challenge. Most existing methods of drug repositioning for the rare disease usually neglect father–son information, so it is extremely difficult to predict drugs for the rare disease. Method In this paper, we focus on father–son information mining for the rare disease. We propose GRU-Cooperation-Attention-Network (GCAN) to predict drugs for the rare disease. We construct two heterogeneous networks for information enhancement, one network contains the father-nodes of the rare disease and the other network contains the son-nodes information. To bridge two heterogeneous networks, we set a mapping to connect them. What’s more, we use the biased random walk mechanism to collect the information smoothly from two heterogeneous networks, and employ a cooperation attention mechanism to enhance repositioning ability of the network. Result Comparing with traditional methods, GCAN makes full use of father–son information. The experimental results on real drug data from hospitals show that GCAN outperforms state-of-the-art machine learning methods for drug repositioning. Conclusion The performance of GCAN for drug repositioning is mainly limited by the insufficient scale and poor quality of the data. In future research work, we will focus on how to utilize more data such as drug molecule information and protein molecule information for the drug repositioning of the rare disease.


Crisis ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika S. Ferguson ◽  
Julie A. Reis ◽  
Lyn Rabbetts ◽  
Heather-Jean Ashby ◽  
Miriam Bayes ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: Education to improve health professionals' responses to suicide is considered an important suicide prevention strategy. However, the effectiveness of this approach for nurses is unclear. Aim: To systematically review the peer-reviewed literature regarding the effectiveness of suicide prevention education programs for nurses. Method: Nine academic databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Reviews & Trials, Embase, Informit Health Collection, Joanna Briggs Institute, Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched in November 2016, utilizing search terms related to suicide, education, and nurses, with no limits placed on publication date or study design. Results: The search yielded 5,456 identified articles, 11 of which met the inclusion criteria. Studies were primarily quantitative (RCTs n = 3; quasi-experimental n = 6; qualitative n = 2), and involved nurses (range = 16–561) working in a diversity of settings, particularly hospitals (n = 9). Studies revealed positive changes in nurses' competence, knowledge, and attitudes associated with training over the short term. Limitations: The heterogeneity of education programs and methodological weaknesses of included studies limit the conclusions drawn. Conclusion: There is a moderate body of evidence to support the effectiveness of suicide prevention education programs for nurses. Future research should examine longer-term changes in clinical practice and strategies for continuing education, with more rigorous study designs.


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