scholarly journals School-Based Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy in the Hoima District, Uganda: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Gloria Kirungi Kasozi ◽  
Julius Kasozi ◽  
Frank Pio Kiyingi ◽  
Miph Musoke

Uganda has persistently had high adolescent pregnancy prevalence; 25% for the last 10 years. This protocol presents the design of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (CRCT) to investigate the effectiveness of School-Based Sexual and Reproductive Health (SBSRH) interventions on prevention of pregnancy among school girls aged 15–19 years in the Hoima District, Uganda. 18 secondary schools (clusters) will be selected using cluster sampling and allocated 1:1 into control or intervention group stratified by geographical location. 1080 (60 each cluster) participants/girls aged 15–19 years will be selected using simple random sampling. The intervention group will receive tailored SRH information, in-school medical care and referral over 12 months. The control group will receive no intervention from the research team; however, they can access alternative services elsewhere if they wish. Data will be obtained at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. The outcomes are reduction in occurrence of pregnancy, utilization of SRH services and sexual behavioral change. To our knowledge, this is the first CRCT providing combined SRH interventions for prevention of adolescent pregnancy in Uganda. If effective, it could have great potential in preventing adolescent pregnancy. Trial Registration: Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR201810882140200) Registered on 16 October 2018.

Author(s):  
Winnie Wing Man Ng ◽  
Anthony Siu Wo Wong ◽  
Kin Cheung

This cluster randomized controlled trial (CRCT)-designed study aimed to explore the feasibility of a promotion pamphlet and/or WhatsApp as a suitable mode of delivery to promote healthy eating habits with fruit and vegetables (F&V) among firefighters. Convenience and snowball sampling methods were used. Forty-five firefighters from 23 fire stations were recruited and they all received the printed pamphlet, while the intervention group participants (n = 20) received additional teaching material through WhatsApp every two weeks for eight weeks. Feasibility outcomes included retention, practicality, and implementation. The participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the intervention. There were significant improvements in the mean numbers of days consuming F&V (p = 0.002; p = 0.031) in the intervention group, and for fruit consumption (p = 0.033) in the control group between the baseline (T0) and 3 months after completion of intervention (T1). High levels of participants’ satisfaction with the intervention revealed that a full-scale CRCT of the WhatsApp-delivered intervention promoting healthy eating could be feasible, especially as a means of increasing the numbers of days they consumed F&V and the numbers of servings of these consumed per day.


Author(s):  
Karine Brito Beck da Silva ◽  
Naiá Ortelan ◽  
Sheila Giardini Murta ◽  
Isabel Sartori ◽  
Ricardo David Couto ◽  
...  

Interventions via the Internet are promising regarding the promotion of healthy habits among youth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an adapted version of StayingFit to promote healthy eating habits and the measurement adequacy of anthropometric markers among adolescents. A web school-based 12-month cluster-randomized controlled trial examining 7th to 9th grade students was conducted in twelve schools in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The schools’ students were randomly distributed into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in StayingFit, an online program designed to encourage and guide healthy eating habits and control body weight. Data on food consumption, anthropometry, physical activity level, and sedentary behavior were collected from all of the students at the beginning of and after the 12-month study. Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected at baseline. The baseline data indicated high rates of overweight (14.4% overweight and 8.5% obese), insufficiently active (87.6%), and sedentary (63.7%). Furthermore, few adolescents regularly consumed fruits (18.8%) and vegetables/legumes (16.4%). Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to evaluate the effect of the intervention. At the end of the follow-up period, students in the intervention group had a 43% increased chance of regularly consuming beans (OR = 1.43, 95% CIs = 1.10–1.86) and a 35% decreased chance of regularly consuming soft drinks (OR = 0.65, 95% CIs = 0.50–0.84). No differences were found between the groups studied with regard to the anthropometric parameters. Despite these modest results, the implementation of a web intervention can be beneficial and help promote positive changes in adolescent eating habits.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Izzati Mohd Suffian ◽  
Siti Nur ‘Asyura Adznam ◽  
Hazizi Abu Saad ◽  
Yoke Mun Chan ◽  
Zuriati Ibrahim ◽  
...  

The ageing process has been associated with various geriatric issues including frailty. Without early prevention, frailty may cause multiple adverse outcomes. However, it potentially may be reversed with appropriate interventions. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of nutritional education and exercise intervention to prevent frailty among the elderly. A 3-month, single-blind, two-armed, cluster randomized controlled trial of the frailty intervention program among Malaysian pre-frail elderly will be conducted. A minimum of total 60 eligible respondents from 8 clusters (flats) of Program Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) flats will be recruited and randomized to the intervention and control arm. The intervention group will receive a nutritional education and a low to moderate multi-component exercise program. To date, this is the first intervention study that specifically targets both the degree of frailty and an improvement in the outcomes of frailty using both nutritional education and exercise interventions among Malaysian pre-frail elderly. If the study is shown to be effective, there are major potential benefits to older population in terms of preventing transition to frailty. The findings from this trial will potentially provide valuable evidence and serve as a model for similar future interventions designed for elderly Malaysians in the community.


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