scholarly journals Physiological Benefits of Viewing Nature: A Systematic Review of Indoor Experiments

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (23) ◽  
pp. 4739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyunju Jo ◽  
Chorong Song ◽  
Yoshifumi Miyazaki
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Visual Stimulation ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Physiological Effects ◽  
Visual Contact ◽  
Physiological Indicators ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Real Nature ◽  
Physiological Relaxation

Contact with nature has been proposed as a solution to achieve physiological relaxation and stress recovery, and a number of scientific verification outcomes have been shown. Compared with studies of the other senses, studies investigating the visual effects of nature have been at the forefront of this research field. A variety of physiological indicators adopted for use in indoor experiments have shown the benefits of viewing nature. In this systematic review, we examined current peer-reviewed articles regarding the physiological effects of visual stimulation from elements or representations of nature in an indoor setting. The articles were analyzed for their stimulation method, physiological measures applied, groups of participants, and outcomes. Thirty-seven articles presenting evidence of the physiological effects of viewing nature were selected. The majority of the studies that used display stimuli, such as photos, 3D images, virtual reality, and videos of natural landscapes, confirmed that viewing natural scenery led to more relaxed body responses than viewing the control. Studies that used real nature stimuli reported that visual contact with flowers, green plants, and wooden materials had positive effects on cerebral and autonomic nervous activities compared with the control. Accumulation of scientific evidence of the physiological relaxation associated with viewing elements of nature would be useful for preventive medicine, specifically nature therapy.

Can Group Exercise Programs Improve Health Outcomes in Pregnant Women? A Systematic Review

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-87
Author(s):  
Cristina Jorge ◽  
Rita Santos-Rocha ◽  
Teresa Bento
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Group Exercise ◽  
Exercise Programs ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Pelvic Floor Training ◽  
Wide Range

Current scientific evidence supports the recommendation to initiate or continue the practice of physical exercise in healthy pregnant women. Group exercise programs have positive effects in improving health and well-being, as well as social support. In order to understand the scientific evidence in this field, and the outcomes in maternal health, it has generated wide interest in exploring the studies carried out with more relevant group exercise programs. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the available evidence on the effectiveness of group exercise programs in improving women’s and newborns health outcomes during pregnancy. Three databases were used to conduct literature searches and strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were employed. Seventeen studies were selected for analysis. All studies were randomized control trials conducted with pregnant women that evaluated the effect of group exercise programs on the health outcomes of mother and newborn. Most studies followed a supervised structured exercise program including a main aerobic part, resistance training, pelvic floor training and stretching and relaxation sections. The significant effects of the programs are related with improved maternal perception of health status, lower maternal weight gain, improved levels of maternal glucose tolerance, improved aerobic fitness and muscular strength, lower frequency of urinary incontinence, improved sick leave due to lumbopelvic pain, fewer cesarean and instrumental deliveries, higher newborn Apgar score and faster postpartum recovery. Exercise and health professionals should advise pregnant women that aerobic group exercise during pregnancy improves a wide range of health outcomes for the women and newborns.

scholarly journals Music Therapy and Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review from 2015–2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11618
Author(s):  
Manuel Joaquín Machado Sotomayor ◽  
Víctor Arufe-Giráldez ◽  
Gerardo Ruíz-Rico ◽  
Rubén Navarro-Patón
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Complementary Therapy ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Motor Component ◽  
Points Of View

Parkinson’s disease can be approached from various points of view, one of which is music therapy—a complementary therapy to a pharmacological one. This work aims to compile the scientific evidence published in the last five years (2015–2020) on the effects of music therapy in patients with Parkinson’s disease. A systematic review has been performed using the Web of Science and Scopus databases with the descriptors “music therapy” and “Parkinson’s disease”. A total of 281 eligible articles were identified, which, after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, were reduced to 58 papers. The results display a great diversity of evidence, confirming positive effects on various spheres. All mentioned patients with Parkinson’s disease had experienced different music therapy programs. Some studies focused on the motor component, which can be addressed through listening, body rhythm, and rhythmic auditory stimulation. Other studies confirm effects on communication, swallowing, breathing, and the emotional aspect through programs that focus on singing, either individually or in groups, in order to improve the quality of life of people with PD. It was concluded that music therapy programs can achieve improvements in various areas of patients with Parkinson’s.

scholarly journals Music and Health

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Madhuri S Kurdi ◽  
Vinod D Gasti
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Physiological Effects ◽  
Health Care Settings ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Current Health ◽  
Modern Health Care ◽  
Therapy Programme

Music therapy is the use of intervention to accomplish individual goals within a therapeutic relationship by a professional who has completed an approved music therapy programme. Music has several physiological effects including positive effects on mood, a reduction of anxiety, stress and a lowering of blood pressure. There are several types of music therapy. Music therapy procedures are structured as either receptive or active. Music therapy methods include music recreation, improvisation, composition, listening and receptive experience. In modern health care, music has several applications in the perioperative setting, neurology, family medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics, interventional procedures, the critical care unit, pain management, palliative care and cancer. Though it has some limitations, there is ample scientific evidence to support the beneficial use of music therapy as a low-cost therapy with no side effect in various clinical situations in current health care settings. This article describes the various applications of music in modern health care. 

Evidence-based interventions involving occupational therapists are needed in re-ablement for older community-living people: A systematic review

2017 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 273-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Pettersson ◽  
Susanne Iwarsson
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Community Living ◽  
High Quality Research ◽  
Positive Effects

Introduction Re-ablement services are in a period of strong development, but the terms and definitions used remain unclear, and the scientific evidence is still weak. The aim of this systematic review was to obtain an overview of the scientific literature in this evolving research area, and investigate whether there is scientific evidence for positive effects of re-ablement services for older community-living people. Method The systematic literature search was conducted in the databases CINAHL, PubMed and Svemed+(Swemed) and covered the years 2000–2014. Owing to the heterogeneity in the included studies, a narrative synthesis was performed. Results Eight original publications were found eligible and included in the systematic review. When addressed, terms and definitions varied among the papers. Effects such as less use of home care, higher likelihood to live at home, improved activities of daily living (ADL) skills, quality of life and physical health, increased physical activity and lower costs compared to conventional home care were reported. Conclusion More high-quality research is needed to strengthen the evidence-base regarding re-ablement services. The specific roles of various professional and staff groups are often insufficiently described, as are the interventions as such, and there is a lack of attention to person-centered aspects such as the meaningfulness of the specific activities.

scholarly journals Effect of Foot Orthoses and Shoes in Parkinson’s Disease Patients: A PRISMA Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1136
Author(s):  
María Reina-Bueno ◽  
César Calvo-Lobo ◽  
Daniel López-López ◽  
Patricia Palomo-López ◽  
Ricardo Becerro-de-Bengoa-Vallejo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Important Conclusion ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Gait Parameters ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Foot Sensation

Reduced plantar foot sensation, postural instability, and gait difficulties are characteristic of Parkinson´s disease patients. A systematic review was carried out to determine the effect of the different types of insoles and shoes in these patients. Several databases were used to search for relevant articles reporting Parkinson´s disease patients undergoing treatment with any type of insole and footwear. All titles and abstracts were reviewed independently by two reviewers and the available data were extracted. The study eligibility criteria were any type of experimental study that included Parkinson’s disease patients treated with any type of insole or footwear. Eight studies were selected. Interventions used were textured insoles, footwear modifications, and habitual footwear. Three different outcomes were evaluated in each study: gait parameters, balance, and plantar sensation. According to the data available from this systematic review, the most important conclusion is that more controlled studies are needed in this research field. There are indications to suggest that textured insoles have positive effects on gait parameters, balance, and plantar sensation in Parkinson’s disease patients.

scholarly journals Wind Instruments and their Influence on Oral Cavity: Systematic Review

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Bluj-Komarnitka ◽  
Iulian Komarnitki ◽  
Dorota Olczak-Kowalczyk
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Oral Cavity ◽  
Oral Mucosa ◽  
Orthodontic Treatment ◽  
Randomized Trials ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Wind Instruments ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Positive Effect

ABSTRACT Playing wind instruments is causing additional forces that influence dentition and may create malocclusions or escalate existing anomalies in the oral cavity. There are four types of wind instruments grouped according to the structure of the mouthpiece/ reed. Each group of wind instruments may influence the health of oral cavity, i.e. change occlusal conditions, irritate oral mucosa and cause temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Under certain conditions a correctly chosen instrusment may support orthodontic treatment, causing a faster correction of the existing disorder. Aim The aim of this paper was to assess the influence of playing wind instruments on the oral cavity including the positive effect on the reduction of existing dental disorders. Special attention was paid to changes in teeth alignment measured by overbite and overjet. Materials and methods A systematic review was conducted after browsing Medline and Embase data bases. Results Seventeen studies proved eligible under the selection criteria. Selected papers included two randomized trials: review articles and case reports. Summary Wind instruments may favor the development of malocclusions, changes on oral mucosa and hamper the usage of prostheses. Playing wind instruments may help during orthodontic treatment but there are still no scientific evidence supporting their possible positive effects. How to cite this article Bluj-Komarnitka K, Komarnitki I, Olczak-Kowalczyk D. Wind Instruments and their Influence on Oral Cavity: Systematic Review. World J Dent 2014;5(3):180-183.

scholarly journals Tai Chi and workplace wellness for health care workers: a systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Dorelli ◽  
R A Cocchiara ◽  
G Gholamalishahi ◽  
W Longo ◽  
E Musumeci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Tai Chi ◽  
Work Related Stress ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Related Stress

Abstract Background Several studies show positive effects of new non-medical therapies known as complementary and alternative medicines, such as the discipline of tai chi. As healthcare professions are among the most vulnerable for work-related stress, this systematic review aims to investigate the relationship between tai chi practice and wellness of healthcare workers. Methods Cinahl, Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed were searched in September 2019. Full-text articles, written in English and published after 1995, were recruited if they focused on positive effects of tai chi on the psychophysical wellbeing of healthcare workers, in comparison with alternative techniques (such as yoga or traditional care). Outcomes were reduced work-related stress, better physical and psychological function, improvement in attention and/or productivity; no restrictions about study design were applied. Quality assessment was performed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale on cohort/cross-sectional studies, the Jadad scale for randomized clinical trial, AMSTAR for systematic reviews and CASE REPORT scale for case study. Results 6/111 papers were included: 3 clinical trials, 1 observational study, 1 systematic review and 1 case report. The methodological quality was of medium level. 2/3 trials found a significant increase in individuals' wellbeing and improvements in stress levels and nursing staff’s motivation in their work. In the observational study tai chi was a prevalent mind-body practice to reduce stress. The systematic review suggested that tai chi could be a useful tool to reduce stress-related chronic pain. In case report the effectiveness was observed in medical students. Conclusions This study highlights the full potential and possible benefits derived from tai chi but its application to improve health professionals' wellbeing is still limited, and the absence of a standardized intervention impacts on the methodological quality and reduces the robustness of the retrieved evidence. Key messages Tai chi can improve many pathological conditions and reduce work-related stress. Further research is needed to gain robust evidence of its efficacy for wellbeing of healthcare workers.

scholarly journals The effects of clinical decision support system for prescribing medication on patient outcomes and physician practice performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharare Taheri Moghadam ◽  
Farahnaz Sadoughi ◽  
Farnia Velayati ◽  
Seyed Jafar Ehsanzadeh ◽  
Shayan Poursharif
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Decision Support ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Clinical Decision Support ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Physician Practice ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Practice Performance

Abstract Background Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSSs) for Prescribing are one of the innovations designed to improve physician practice performance and patient outcomes by reducing prescription errors. This study was therefore conducted to examine the effects of various CDSSs on physician practice performance and patient outcomes. Methods This systematic review was carried out by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library from 2005 to 2019. The studies were independently reviewed by two researchers. Any discrepancies in the eligibility of the studies between the two researchers were then resolved by consulting the third researcher. In the next step, we performed a meta-analysis based on medication subgroups, CDSS-type subgroups, and outcome categories. Also, we provided the narrative style of the findings. In the meantime, we used a random-effects model to estimate the effects of CDSS on patient outcomes and physician practice performance with a 95% confidence interval. Q statistics and I2 were then used to calculate heterogeneity. Results On the basis of the inclusion criteria, 45 studies were qualified for analysis in this study. CDSS for prescription drugs/COPE has been used for various diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases, AIDS, appendicitis, kidney disease, malaria, high blood potassium, and mental diseases. In the meantime, other cases such as concurrent prescribing of multiple medications for patients and their effects on the above-mentioned results have been analyzed. The study shows that in some cases the use of CDSS has beneficial effects on patient outcomes and physician practice performance (std diff in means = 0.084, 95% CI 0.067 to 0.102). It was also statistically significant for outcome categories such as those demonstrating better results for physician practice performance and patient outcomes or both. However, there was no significant difference between some other cases and traditional approaches. We assume that this may be due to the disease type, the quantity, and the type of CDSS criteria that affected the comparison. Overall, the results of this study show positive effects on performance for all forms of CDSSs. Conclusions Our results indicate that the positive effects of the CDSS can be due to factors such as user-friendliness, compliance with clinical guidelines, patient and physician cooperation, integration of electronic health records, CDSS, and pharmaceutical systems, consideration of the views of physicians in assessing the importance of CDSS alerts, and the real-time alerts in the prescription.

scholarly journals Nature Exposure and Its Effects on Immune System Functioning: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1416
Author(s):  
Liisa Andersen ◽  
Sus Sola Corazon ◽  
Ulrika Karlsson Stigsdotter
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Natural Killer Cell Activity ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Killer Cell ◽  
Cell Activity ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Positive Effects

Given the drastic changes in our lifestyles and ecosystems worldwide, the potential health effects of natural environments have grown into a highly pervasive topic. Recent scientific findings suggest beneficial effects from nature exposure on human immune responses. This review aims at providing a comprehensive overview of literature published on immunomodulatory effects of nature exposure by inhalation of natural substances. A systematic database search was performed in SCOPUS and PubMed. The quality and potential bias of included studies (n = 33) were assessed by applying the EPHPP (Effective Public Health Practice Project) tool for human studies and the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) and SYRCLE (Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation) tools for animal studies. The synthesis of reviewed studies points to positive effects of nature exposure on immunological health parameters; such as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-asthmatic effects or increased NK (natural killer) cell activity. Decreased expression of pro-inflammatory molecules, infiltration of leukocytes and release of cytotoxic mediators are outcomes that may serve as a baseline for further studies. However, partially weak study designs evoked uncertainties about outcome reproducibility and key questions remain open concerning effect sizes, duration of exposure and contributions of specific vegetation or ecosystem types.

scholarly journals Can Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Enhance Functionality in Older Adults? A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. 2981
Author(s):  
Andrés Pino-Esteban ◽  
Álvaro Megía-García ◽  
David Martín-Caro Álvarez ◽  
Hector Beltran-Alacreu ◽  
Juan Avendaño-Coy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Sham Stimulation ◽  
Direct Current Stimulation ◽  
Potential Benefits

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive, easy to administer, well-tolerated, and safe technique capable of affecting brain excitability, both at the cortical and cerebellum levels. However, its effectiveness has not been sufficiently assessed in all population segments or clinical applications. This systematic review aimed at compiling and summarizing the currently available scientific evidence about the effect of tDCS on functionality in older adults over 60 years of age. A search of databases was conducted to find randomized clinical trials that applied tDCS versus sham stimulation in the above-mentioned population. No limits were established in terms of date of publication. A total of 237 trials were found, of which 24 met the inclusion criteria. Finally, nine studies were analyzed, including 260 healthy subjects with average age between 61.0 and 85.8 years. Seven of the nine included studies reported superior improvements in functionality variables following the application of tDCS compared to sham stimulation. Anodal tDCS applied over the motor cortex may be an effective technique for improving balance and posture control in healthy older adults. However, further high-quality randomized controlled trials are required to determine the most effective protocols and to clarify potential benefits for older adults.

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