Efficacy of brief alcohol screening intervention for college students (BASICS): a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background: Many studies reported that brief interventions are effective in reducing excessive drinking. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a protocol of brief intervention for college students (BASICS), delivered face-to-face, to reduce risky alcohol consumption and negative consequences. Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed by searching for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Medline, PsycInfo, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases. A quality assessment of RCTs was made by using a validated scale. Combined mean effect sizes, using meta-analysis random-effects models, were calculated. Results: 18 studies were included in the review. The sample sizes ranged from 54 to 1275 (median = 212). All studies presented a good evaluation of methodological quality and four were found to have excellent quality. After approximately 12 months of follow-up, students receiving BASICS showed a significant reduction in alcohol consumption (difference between means = -1.50 drinks per week, 95% CI: -3.24 to -0.29) and alcohol-related problems (difference between means = -0.87, 95% CI: -1.58 to -0.20) compared to controls. Conclusions: Overall, BASICS lowered both alcohol consumption and negative consequences in college students. Gender and peer factors seem to play an important role as moderators of behavior change in college drinking. Characteristics of BASICS procedure have been evaluated as more favorable and acceptable by students in comparison with others interventions or control conditions. Considerations for future researches were discussed.

Efetividade da fonoterapia e proposta de intervenção breve em respiradores orais

OBJETIVOS: verificar o efeito da intervenção fonoaudiológica em um grupo de respiradores orais e propor terapia fonoaudiológica mínima no tratamento da respiração oral. MÉTODO: estudo prospectivo longitudinal, casuística de 40 sujeitos respiradores orais tratados no Hospital das Clínicas - setor de Reabilitação Orofacial do Ambulatório de Respirador Oral da Disciplina de Otorrinolaringologia da Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP. Realizada documentação fotográfica, avaliação clínica, aplicação de protocolo para categorizar modo respiratório, postura (lábios e bochechas); força e praxias (lábios, bochechas e língua) nas semanas 0, 12 e 24. A proposta terapêutica constou de treino e conscientização da respiração nasal; manobras para aquecimento e vascularização da musculatura orofacial; aplicação de pontos e zonas motoras na face; manobras passivas; uso do impulso distal; exercícios miofuncionais e registro da percepção dos pacientes sobre suas condições olfativas e obstruções nasais.Teste estatístico: não paramétrico de Igualdade de Duas Proporções, p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: houve adequação da função respiração nasal. Aumento da força de lábios, língua e bochechas. Melhora nas praxias: bico direita, bico esquerda, estalo e vibração de lábios. Vibração e estalo de língua. Inflar simultaneamente as bochechas, inflar bochecha direita e esquerda. O tempo com maior ganho terapêutico foi de 12 semanas. A partir deste dado foi esquematizado protocolo com 12 sessões estruturadas abordando estratégias utilizadas nesta pesquisa. CONCLUSÃO: a pesquisa demonstrou que o uso da reabilitação miofuncional para pacientes respiradores orais foi eficiente com maior evolução terapêutica observada na semana 12.

Brief Cognitive Behavioral Intervention in Groups in a Brazilian Assisted Reproduction Program

The study's objective was to assess the effect of a cognitive behavioral group intervention on the pregnancy rates of patients submitted to in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques or to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The study was conducted on 188 patients, 93 who participated in a group of psychological intervention before the IVF and ICSI procedures and 95 patients submitted to IVF and ICSI during the same period of time, who did not participate in the intervention (control group). Clinical pregnancy was the outcome measure. Demographic and clinical variables were compared between groups in order to assess the group's homogeneity. Participants in the psychological intervention obtained a pregnancy rate of 39.8%, significantly higher than the 23.2% rate of nonparticipants (chi(2) = 6.03, p =.01, odds ratio of 22 (CI: 1.16-4.13). The data suggest that group psychological intervention before IVF and ICSI in order to control stress seems to increase the rate of success of these procedures.