Evaluation of a Pediatric Obesity Management Toolkit for Health Care Professionals: A Quasi-Experimental Study.
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SUBMITTER: Patel BP
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8306158 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:ObjectiveTo test the effectiveness of a non-pharmaceutical programme for obese participants in a rural Eastern Canadian Province using certified health professionals.DesignA prospective quasi-experimental design with repeated premeasure and postmeasure.Participants146 participants with obesity (body mass index >30?kg/m(2)) from rural and urban communities in an Eastern Canadian Province were divided into four groups.InterventionA 6-month intensive active community-based lifestyle intervention (InI) delivered by Certified Exercise Physiologists, Certified Personal Trainers and Registered Dietitians, followed by 6?months of self-management. A second intervention (InII) was nested in InI and consisted of group-mediated cognitive-behavioral intervention (GMCBI) delivered by an exercise psychologist to two of the four InI groups.Outcomes(1) Improving health outcomes among the participants' preactive and postactive 6-month intervention and self-management period, (2) Documenting the impact of InII (GMCBI) and location of the intervention (urban vs rural).ResultsThe 6-month active InI significantly improved cardiovascular health for participants who completed the intervention. InII (GMCBI) significantly lowered the attrition rate among the participants. The self-management period was challenging for the participants and they did not make further gains; however, most were able to maintain the gains achieved during the active intervention. The location of the intervention, urban or rural, had little impact on outcomes.ConclusionsA community-based programme utilising healthcare professionals other than physicians to treat obese patients was effective based on premeasure and postmeasure. During the self-management phase, the participants were able to maintain the gains. Psychological support is essential to participant retention.
| S-EPMC4322212 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Education is one of the central interventions to promote evidence-based practice (EBP) in service organizations. An educational intervention to promote EBP among health and social care professionals was implemented in a Finnish hospital. The aim of this study was to explore the outcomes of an educational intervention, focusing on the basics of EBP for health and social care professionals, using a quasi-experimental study design. The data were collected with a questionnaire before, immediately after, and 6 months after the education (n = 48). The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests. Immediately after the education, an increase was found in the EBP knowledge of participants, in participants' confidence in their own ability to conduct database searches and read scientific articles, and in the number of participants using databases at work. Six months after the education, improvements were still found between the first and the third measurement in the participants' knowledge and confidence in their own ability to conduct database searches and read scientific articles. The number of those who had made an initiative about a research topic regarding the development of their own work had increased from the first to the third measurement. The educational intervention produced a statistically significant improvement on most of the areas evaluated. Significant improvements were often found even 6 months after the education was finished. However, the low completion rate and a quasi-experimental before and after design limit the conclusions that can be derived from this study.
| S-EPMC7774385 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe use of mobile health (mHealth) technology to improve quality of care (QoC) has increased over the last decade; limited evidence exists to espouse mHealth as a decision support tool, especially at the community level. This study presents evaluation findings of using a mobile application for integrated community case management (iCCM) by Malawi's health surveillance assistants (HSAs) in four pilot districts to deliver lifesaving services for children.MethodsA quasi-experimental study design compared adherence to iCCM guidelines between HSAs using mobile application (n = 137) and paper-based tools (n = 113), supplemented with 47 key informant interviews on perceptions about QoC and sustainability of iCCM mobile application. The first four sick children presenting to each HSA for an initial consultation of an illness episode were observed by a Ministry of Health iCCM trainer for assessment, classification, and treatment. Results were compared using logistic regression, controlling for child-, HSA-, and district-level characteristics, with Holm-Bonferroni-adjusted significance levels for multiple comparison.ResultsHSAs using the application tended to assess sick children according to iCCM guidelines more often than HSAs using paper-based tools for cough (adjusted proportion, 98% vs 91%; P < 0.01) and five physical danger signs - chest in-drawing; alertness; palmar pallor; malnourishment; oedema (80% vs 62%; P < 0.01), but not for fever (97% vs 93%; P = 0.06), diarrhoea (94% vs 87%; P = 0.03), and three danger signs - not able to eat or drink; vomits everything; has convulsions (88% vs 79%; P = 0.01). Across illnesses and danger signs, 81% of HSAs using the application correctly classified sick children, compared to 58% of HSAs using paper-based tools (P < 0.01). No differences existed for their treatment (P = 0.27). Interview respondents corroborated these findings that using iCCM mobile application ensures protocol adherence. Respondents noted barriers to its consistent and wide use including hardware problems and limited resources.ConclusionGenerally, the mobile application is a promising tool for improving adherence to the iCCM protocol for assessing sick children and classifying illness by HSAs. Limited effects on treatments and inconsistent use suggest the need for more studies on mHealth to improve QoC at community level.
| S-EPMC6594718 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Integration of behavioral and general medical care can improve outcomes for individuals with behavioral health conditions-serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorder (SUD). However, behavioral health care has historically been segregated from general medical care in many countries. We provide the first population-level evidence on the effects of Medicaid health homes (HH) on behavioral health care service use. Medicaid, a public insurance program in the United States, HHs were created under the 2010 Affordable Care Act to coordinate behavioral and general medical care for enrollees with behavioral health conditions. As of 2016, 16 states had adopted an HH for enrollees with SMI and/or SUD. We use data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health over the period 2010 to 2016 coupled with a two-way fixed-effects model to estimate HH effects on behavioral health care utilization. We find that HH adoption increases service use among enrollees, although mental health care treatment findings are sensitive to specification. Further, enrollee self-reported health improves post-HH.
| S-EPMC7863583 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:We sought to determine whether patients with a coordinated care plan developed using the Health Links model of care in the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network differed in their use of health care (no. of emergency department visits, inpatient admissions, length of inpatient stay) when compared with a matched control group of patients with no care plans. METHODS:We performed a propensity score-matched study of 12 months pre- and 12 months post-health care use. Patients who had a coordinated care plan that started between 2013 and 2015 were propensity score matched to patients in a control group. Patient information was obtained from Client Health and Related Information System, National Ambulatory Care Reporting System and Discharge Abstract Database. Differences in health care use pre- and post-index date were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A negative binomial regression model was fit for each health care use outcome at 6 and 12 months post-index date. RESULTS:Six hundred coordinated care plan enrollees and 25 449 potential control patients were included in the matching algorithm, which resulted in 548 matched pairs (91.3%). Both groups showed decreases in health care use post-index date. Matched care plan enrollees had significantly fewer emergency department visits at 6 (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72-0.91, p < 0.01) and 12 months post-index date (IRR 0.88, 95% CI 0.79-0.99, p < 0.05) compared with the matched controls. Other use parameters were not significantly different between care plan enrollees and the control group. INTERPRETATION:Care plan enrollees show a decrease in the number of times they visit emergency departments, which may be attributed to integrated and coordinated care planning. This association should be examined to see whether these reductions persist for more than 1 year.
| S-EPMC5984145 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveSignificant variability exists in the amount of formal obesity training obtained by physicians caring for pediatric patients. The study objective was to assess the relationship between formal obesity training and pediatrics physicians' perceptions, practice patterns, overall knowledge, and confidence during management of pediatric obesity.MethodsAn anonymous survey was distributed via email from February 2020 through March 2020 at a large academic system. Internal medicine/pediatrics (46 total) and pediatrics (104 total) primary care providers were selected. Data were collected on the total number of obesity-related training hours by quartiles, demographics, physicians' clinical practice patterns, and physicians' knowledge of pediatric obesity management, along with their perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs.ResultsA total of 73 survey participants completed the survey: 69% were female, 77% were older than 40 years, and 74% were White. Physicians with the highest training were most likely to feel confident when managing pediatric obesity. However, only 20% of all physicians felt confident providing pre- and post-bariatric surgery care, and just 6% of physicians self-reported achieving management success.ConclusionsIncreased obesity training improves physicians' confidence and leads to familiarity with management guidelines. Formal obesity training should be prioritized during residency and beyond so that physicians who care for pediatric patients are better equipped to offer unbiased and effective care.
| S-EPMC7902290 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Despite emphasis of recent guidelines on multidisciplinary teams for collaborative weight management, little is known about non-physician health professionals' perspectives on obesity, their weight management training, and self-efficacy for obesity care.To evaluate differences in health professionals' perspectives on (1) the causes of obesity; (2) training in weight management; and (3) self-efficacy for providing obesity care.Data were obtained from a cross-sectional Internet-based survey of 500 U.S. health professionals from nutrition, nursing, behavioral/mental health, exercise, and pharmacy (collected from January 20 through February 5, 2014). Inferences were derived using logistic regression adjusting for age and education (analyzed in 2014).Nearly all non-physician health professionals, regardless of specialty, cited individual-level factors, such as overconsumption of food (97%), as important causes of obesity. Nutrition professionals were significantly more likely to report high-quality training in weight management (78%) than the other professionals (nursing, 53%; behavioral/mental health, 32%; exercise, 50%; pharmacy, 47%; p<0.05). Nutrition professionals were significantly more likely to report high confidence in helping obese patients achieve clinically significant weight loss (88%) than the other professionals (nursing, 61%; behavioral/mental health, 51%; exercise, 52%; pharmacy, 61%; p<0.05), and more likely to perceive success in helping patients with obesity achieve clinically significant weight loss (nutrition, 81%; nursing, behavioral/mental health, exercise, and pharmacy, all <50%; p<0.05).Nursing, behavioral/mental health, exercise, and pharmacy professionals may need additional training in weight management and obesity care to effectively participate in collaborative weight management models.
| S-EPMC4380783 | biostudies-literature
Project description:This study tests the group-level causal relationship between the expansion of Kenya's Safe Motherhood voucher program and changes in quality of postnatal care (PNC) provided at voucher-contracted facilities. We compare facilities accredited since program inception in 2006 (phase I) and facilities accredited since 2010-2011 (phase II) relative to comparable non-voucher facilities. PNC quality is assessed using observed clinical content processes, as well as client-reported outcome measures. Two-tailed unpaired t-tests are used to identify differences in mean process quality scores and client-reported outcome measures, comparing changes between intervention and comparison groups at the 2010 and 2012 data collection periods. Difference-in-differences analysis is used to estimate the reproductive health (RH) voucher program's causal effect on quality of care by exploiting group-level differences between voucher-accredited and non-accredited facilities in 2010 and 2012. Participation in the voucher scheme since 2006 significantly improves overall quality of postnatal care by 39% (p=0.02), where quality is defined as the observable processes or components of service provision that occur during a PNC consultation. Program participation since phase I is estimated to improve the quality of observed maternal postnatal care by 86% (p=0.02), with the largest quality improvements in counseling on family planning methods (IRR 5.0; p=0.01) and return to fertility (IRR 2.6; p=0.01). Despite improvements in maternal aspects of PNC, we find a high proportion of mothers who seek PNC are not being checked by any provider after delivery. Additional strategies will be necessary to standardize provision of packaged postnatal interventions to both mother and newborn. This study addresses an important gap in the existing RH literature by using a strong evaluation design to assess RH voucher program effectiveness on quality improvement.
| S-EPMC4383624 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:To examine the effect of Sexual Health in Practice (SHIP) training for general practitioners (GPs) on HIV testing rates in Haringey, a deprived area of London, UK, with a population of over 250,000 and HIV prevalence of 0.7% (in 2014). SHIP is an educational intervention delivering peer-developed and peer-led face-to-face training to improve quality of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care. METHODS:We carried out a quasi-experimental study of intervention effects across 52 GP practices (2008-2016). We used time variation in SHIP intervention exposure for effect estimation, controlling for practice and calendar month fixed effects in panel analysis. From 2008-2010, baseline data were collected, and in the subsequent six-year period, 78 GPs in Haringey (approximately 40% of all GPs) were SHIP trained. 46 Haringey practices (of 52) had at least one trained doctor. Outcome measures were monthly HIV tests and results by practice (obtained from the hospital laboratories). RESULTS:SHIP significantly increased HIV testing; for every GP trained, practice HIV testing rates increased by 16% (testing rate ratio (TRR) 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.28, p value 0.004). This significant effect was demonstrated using an 8-year observation period, and was sustained over the post-intervention period. An average of 1.42% of HIV tests were positive. CONCLUSION:SHIP training produces a significant and sustained increase in HIV testing for each GP trained. Compared with general population screening, HIV tests used in routine clinical care have a high probability of detecting a positive person. Unlike an RCT, this evaluation is a 'real life' measure of the effect that commissioners of SHIP could expect in comparable areas of the UK. The effectiveness of the SHIP training may be related to the programme components not included in interventions that did not demonstrate an effect, such as peer-led teaching, and use of approaches to communication and rapid risk assessment tailored to the setting.
| S-EPMC6070165 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Technology-enhanced learning (TEL) programs are increasingly seen as the way in which education for health care professionals can be transformed, giving access to effective ongoing learning and training even where time or geographical barriers exist. Given the increasing emphasis on this mode of educational support for health care practitioners, it is vital that we can effectively evaluate and measure impact to ensure that TEL programs are effective and fit for purpose. This paper examines the current evidence base for the first time, in relation to the evaluation of TEL programs for health care professionals. OBJECTIVE:We conducted a systematic review of the current literature relating to the evaluation of TEL programs for health care professionals and critically appraised the quality of the studies. METHODS:This review employed specific search criteria to identify research studies that included evaluation of TEL for health care professionals. The databases searched included Medline Ovid, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature Plus Advanced, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, ZETOC, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Explore Digital Library, Allied and Complementary Medicine, and Education Resources Information Center between January 2006 and January 2017. An additional hand search for relevant articles from reference lists was undertaken. Each of the studies identified was critically appraised for quality using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool. This approach produced a percentage total score for each study across specified categories. A proportion of the studies were independently assessed by an additional two reviewers. RESULTS:The review identified 21 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The studies included scored totals across eight categories within a range of 37%-95% and an average score of 68%. Studies that measured TEL using learner satisfaction surveys, or combined pretest and posttest knowledge score testing with learner satisfaction surveys, were found to be the most common types of TEL evaluations evident in the literature. The studies reviewed had low scores across reporting on ethical matters, design, and data collection categories. CONCLUSIONS:There continues to be a need to develop effective and standard TEL evaluation tools, and good quality studies that describe effective evaluation of TEL education for health care professionals. Studies often fail to provide sufficient detail to support transferability or direct future TEL health care education programs.
| S-EPMC5917080 | biostudies-other