The success of worksite nutrition and physical activity interventions with environmental modifications A systematic review

Background: As obesity increases among U.S. workers, employers are implementing programs to increase physical activity and improve diets. Although programs to address individual determinants of obesity have been evaluated, less is known about the effects of workplace programs that change environmental factors, because most reviews have not isolated environmental programs; the one that did was published in 2005. ^ Objective: To update the 2005 review to determine the effectiveness of workplace environmental interventions. ^ Methods: The Medline database was searched for published English language reports (2003-2011) of randomized controlled (RCTs) or quasi-experimental trials (NRCTs) that evaluated strategies to modify physical activity opportunities or food services, targeting employees at least 18 years, not including retirees and that provided data for at least one physical activity, dietary, or health risk indicator. Three coders independently extracted study characteristics and scored the quality of study methods. Program effectiveness was determined using the 2005 review's best evidence approach. ^ Results: Seven studies represented in nine reports met eligibility criteria; three focused on diet and the remainder targeted diet and physical activity interventions. All but one study received a high quality score for internal validity. The evidence for the effectiveness of workplace environmental interventions was at best, inconclusive for diet and physical activity and limited for health risk indicators. The outcome constructs were inconsistent across the studies. ^ Conclusions: Limitations in the methods of the 2005 review made it challenging to draw conclusions about findings for this review that include: variation in outcome measures, reliance on distal measures without proximal behavior change measures, no distinction between changes at the workplace versus outside the workplace, and inappropriate analyses of cluster designs that biased findings toward statistical significance. The best evidence approach relied on vote-counting, using statistical significance alone rather than effect size and confidence intervals. Future research should address these limitations and use more rigorous methods; systematic reviews should use methods of meta-analysis to summarize study findings. These recommendations will help employers to better understand how environmental modifications in the workplace can support their efforts to combat the effects of obesity among employees.^

Typologies of teachers in Florida tobacco use prevention education (tupe) programs

This study described teacher perceptions of TUPE program effectiveness in Florida in an attempt to determine whether teacher training or teachers' perceptions of tobacco norms may predict teacher amenability. A statewide survey provided information about how teachers' perceptions of program effectiveness are affected by variables such as: tobacco use norms, training variables, and classroom activities. Data were obtained from a telephone survey conducted in Florida as part of the Tobacco Pilot Project (TPP). The sample included 296 middle school teachers and 282 high school teachers as well as 193 middle school principals and 190 high school principals. Correlational and hierarchical regression analyses identified correlates and predictors of teachers' ratings of effectiveness. Results suggest that the more teachers support TUPE and believe it to be valuable and effective, the more likely those teachers are to implement TUPE classroom activities. In conclusion, higher amenability appears to be associated with more effective implementation of TUPE.

Avaliação de política pública: o ProInfo e sua gestão no município de Parnamirim (2009-2012)

The dissertation assesses aspects of the management of IT in Education Program (ProInfo), in the municipality of Parnamirim-RN. Checks as their management functions, with the following objectives: a) Examine whether the objectives of the activities related to teachers' program are being implemented according to the official documents, b) examine if there is a monitoring program activities as the activities of teachers c) Identify whether teachers develop activities and environments using the technological resources of the internet. The research brings a central issue: How ProInfo is subsidizing the activities of the teachers involved in the program to achieve their goals effectively? As a central hypothesis of this work, to be a general north to the research, we have: the ProInfo establishes a fragile and discontinuous link between the management of the activities of teachers and the goals that he sets. The hypothesis was validated by the analysis of data from field research, when we encounter a series of limiting aspects of program effectiveness at the municipal level. This research was undertaken with managers of state and municipal schools and teachers, using a sample of four schools Parnamirim-RN, in order to include some aspects of program management at the municipal level and effectiveness goals proposed, focusing on teachers who participated in the training. The methodological process consisted of literature review, interviews and documentary analysis carried to the organs responsible for ProInfo statewide (UNDIME/RN ) and municipal level, next to the Municipal Education Parnamirim-RN. Based on data collected from empirical field research, it was found that the ProInfo lacks periodic reviews by the governing bodies of the program, about the actions developed through appropriate instruments, which enable a more realistic view of the results of the program ex post (during or after deployment)

Quality of implementation in evidence-based positive parenting programs in Spain: Introduction to the special issue

The main contribution of this special issue is to present evaluation studies involving large-scale experiences of implementation of positive parenting programs delivered through home, group-based, and on-line formats in Spain. Two research questions were addressed: (1) what factors affect implementation; and (2) for whom and under which implementation conditions the programs lead to positive outcomes. Target populations were mainly families from low and middle socioeconomic backgrounds, and parents at psychosocial risk attending family support services in need of improving their parenting skills. All the programs fall under the umbrella of the positive parenting initiative launched by the Council of Europe, are evidence-based, follow a collaborative schema with national, regional, or local authorities, have multi-site implementation, and are supported by highly experienced researchers from Spanish universities. Special attention is given to the program adaptations to different contexts, the profile of parents who benefited most from the programs, analyses of the implementation process, and the assessment of parenting programs in the community. The information provided will help to increase our knowledge of evidence-based parenting programs in Spain, their implementation processes and results, and the future challenges that need to be addressed to continue the current expansion of evidence-based parenting programs.

Uso de literatura infantil para o desenvolvimento de capacidades emocionais

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA – Instituto Universitário para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Educacional

Efetividade da visita domiciliária na prevenção e reincidência da violência e maustratos sobre crianças e jovens

Introdução Os maus tratos e violência sobre crianças e jovens são um problema civilizacional, estando associados a múltiplos de fatores ambientais e familiares. Agir profissionalmente neste contexto requer o desenvolvimento de programas efetivos. A visita domiciliária é uma intervenção que potencia o estabelecimento de relações confiáveis e próximas entre profissionais de saúde, famílias, e comunidade (Barlow, Davis, Jarret, Mclntosh, Mockford, & Stewart-Brown, 2006), no entanto as evidências sobre a sua efetividade como programa preventivo nesta área não são ainda suficientemente fortes. Objetivos A visita domiciliar é uma intervenção realizada por enfermeiros. No entanto, carece ainda de evidência acerca dos seus benefícios, na prevenção da violência e maus tratos, ou reduzir a sua reincidência, sobre crianças e jovens. Neste contexto, o objetivo central desta investigação consistiu em identificar evidências de efetividade da visita domiciliária na prevenção ou reincidência dos maus tratos sobre crianças e jovens. Metodologia Procedemos a uma revisão integrativa da literatura. Com a expressão de pesquisa Child* AND Neglect* AND Home visiting program* AND Effectiveness*, selecionámos as bases de dados online: Medline; Cinahl; MedicLatina; Academic Search Complete. Através da estratégia PICO, definimos critérios de inclusão e exclusão dos artigos. Incluímos: Participantes - grávidas e pais de crianças até aos cinco anos de idade. Intervenções - a visita domiciliária. Comparações - entre os participantes que receberam visitas domiciliárias e participantes que receberam os cuidados habituais. Outcomes - Elementos caraterizadores de efetividada da vista. Resultados Como principais elementos de caraterizadores da efetividade da visita retivemos os seguintes: - Geralmente os programas de visita domiciliária são mais efetivos na prevenção de comportamentos abusivos do que na sua correção. - Maior prevalência de comportamentos parentais positivos, mais desenvolvimento de vínculo afetivo familiar e maior capacitação parental. - Maior potencial de ajustamento e recurso a estratégias de coping em situações genericamente potenciadoras de stress. Nestas salientam-se os efeitos significativamente mais positivos nas famílias com problemas socioeconómicos e pais com bebés prematuros. - Identificação precoce de situações de vulnerabilidade, potenciadoras de violência, especialmente se realizadas no período pré-natal. - Ao nível da reincidência dos maus tratos é evidenciado, no curto prazo, uma redução significativa do número de agressões físicas e de negligência. - A efetividade é maior em mães jovens e primíparas, quando comparadas com mães multíparas, visto o seu comportamento poder tornar-se mais flexível, plástico e ajustado. - Há necessidade deste programas terem continuidade, refletindo custos elevados. Conclusões Os programas de visita domiciliária têm efetividade em algumas situações. No entanto, se a promoção do papel parental é efetiva, as vantagens podem ser de curto prazo, exigindo continuidade nos programas. Beneficiam particularmente famílias com desvantagens comparativas, em situações de risco socioeconómico, e vulnerabilidades diversas. A visita pré-natal realizada por enfermeiros é especialmente útil e preventiva em mães jovens e primíparas. No entanto, há dúvidas sobre o custo-benefício de alguns programas, obrigando a desenho suficientemente personalizados, tendo em atenção as diferenças de contexto, cultura, valores, crenças, e amplitude de fatores interferentes no funcionamento de cada família.

Efetividade da visita domiciliária na prevenção e reincidência da violência e maustratos sobre crianças e jovens

Introdução Os maus tratos e violência sobre crianças e jovens são um problema civilizacional, estando associados a múltiplos de fatores ambientais e familiares. Agir profissionalmente neste contexto requer o desenvolvimento de programas efetivos. A visita domiciliária é uma intervenção que potencia o estabelecimento de relações confiáveis e próximas entre profissionais de saúde, famílias, e comunidade (Barlow, Davis, Jarret, Mclntosh, Mockford, & Stewart-Brown, 2006), no entanto as evidências sobre a sua efetividade como programa preventivo nesta área não são ainda suficientemente fortes. Objetivos A visita domiciliar é uma intervenção realizada por enfermeiros. No entanto, carece ainda de evidência acerca dos seus benefícios, na prevenção da violência e maus tratos, ou reduzir a sua reincidência, sobre crianças e jovens. Neste contexto, o objetivo central desta investigação consistiu em identificar evidências de efetividade da visita domiciliária na prevenção ou reincidência dos maus tratos sobre crianças e jovens. Metodologia Procedemos a uma revisão integrativa da literatura. Com a expressão de pesquisa Child* AND Neglect* AND Home visiting program* AND Effectiveness*, selecionámos as bases de dados online: Medline; Cinahl; MedicLatina; Academic Search Complete. Através da estratégia PICO, definimos critérios de inclusão e exclusão dos artigos. Incluímos: Participantes - grávidas e pais de crianças até aos cinco anos de idade. Intervenções - a visita domiciliária. Comparações - entre os participantes que receberam visitas domiciliárias e participantes que receberam os cuidados habituais. Outcomes - Elementos caraterizadores de efetividada da vista. Resultados Como principais elementos de caraterizadores da efetividade da visita retivemos os seguintes: - Geralmente os programas de visita domiciliária são mais efetivos na prevenção de comportamentos abusivos do que na sua correção. - Maior prevalência de comportamentos parentais positivos, mais desenvolvimento de vínculo afetivo familiar e maior capacitação parental. - Maior potencial de ajustamento e recurso a estratégias de coping em situações genericamente potenciadoras de stress. Nestas salientam-se os efeitos significativamente mais positivos nas famílias com problemas socioeconómicos e pais com bebés prematuros. - Identificação precoce de situações de vulnerabilidade, potenciadoras de violência, especialmente se realizadas no período pré-natal. - Ao nível da reincidência dos maus tratos é evidenciado, no curto prazo, uma redução significativa do número de agressões físicas e de negligência. - A efetividade é maior em mães jovens e primíparas, quando comparadas com mães multíparas, visto o seu comportamento poder tornar-se mais flexível, plástico e ajustado. - Há necessidade deste programas terem continuidade, refletindo custos elevados. Conclusões Os programas de visita domiciliária têm efetividade em algumas situações. No entanto, se a promoção do papel parental é efetiva, as vantagens podem ser de curto prazo, exigindo continuidade nos programas. Beneficiam particularmente famílias com desvantagens comparativas, em situações de risco socioeconómico, e vulnerabilidades diversas. A visita pré-natal realizada por enfermeiros é especialmente útil e preventiva em mães jovens e primíparas. No entanto, há dúvidas sobre o custo-benefício de alguns programas, obrigando a desenho suficientemente personalizados, tendo em atenção as diferenças de contexto, cultura, valores, crenças, e amplitude de fatores interferentes no funcionamento de cada família.

The promoting adult resilience (PAR) program : the effectiveness of the second, shorter pilot of a workplace prevention program

This article details the second, successful pilot of the Promoting Adult Resilience (PAR) program in the human-services departments of a local government organization. The PAR program is a strengths-based resilience building program that integrates Interpersonal and CBT perspectives and this pilot use a shorter, 7-week version of the program. Pre, post and follow-up measures on PAR participants from a resource-sector company were compared with a non-intervention matched comparison group. Post-test, PAR participants reported greater self-efficacy, more family satisfaction, greater f\work-life fit and balance and less negative family to work spillover than the comparison group. At the 6-month follow-up, these gains were maintained to a lesser degree, although work-life balance was strengthened, and negative spillover in both directions reduced. Participants also reported greater optimism for the future, greater work satisfaction and promisingly for human service workers, exhaustion was reduced and more vigour, important for human services as burnout, exhaustion is part of this is a serious work hazard

Twelve-month effectiveness of a parent-led, family-focused weight-management program for prepubertal children : a randomized, controlled trial

BACKGROUND Parenting-skills training may be an effective age-appropriate child behavior-modification strategy to assist parents in addressing childhood overweight. OBJECTIVE Our goal was to evaluate the relative effectiveness of parenting-skills training as a key strategy for the treatment of overweight children. DESIGN The design consisted of an assessor-blinded, randomized, controlled trial involving 111 (64% female) overweight, prepubertal children 6 to 9 years of age randomly assigned to parenting-skills training plus intensive lifestyle education, parenting-skills training alone, or a 12-month wait-listed control. Height, BMI, and waist-circumference z score and metabolic profile were assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months (intention to treat). RESULTS After 12 months, the BMI z score was reduced by ∼10% with parenting-skills training plus intensive lifestyle education versus ∼5% with parenting-skills training alone or wait-listing for intervention. Waist-circumference z score fell over 12 months in both intervention groups but not in the control group. There was a significant gender effect, with greater reduction in BMI and waist-circumference z scores in boys compared with girls. CONCLUSION Parenting-skills training combined with promoting a healthy family lifestyle may be an effective approach to weight management in prepubertal children, particularly boys. Future studies should be powered to allow gender subanalysis.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of a kidney and cardiovascular disease treatment program in an Australian Aboriginal population

The objective of the study was to assess, from a health service perspective, whether a systematic program to modify kidney and cardiovascular disease reduced the costs of treating end-stage kidney failure. The participants in the study were 1,800 aboriginal adults with hypertension, diabetes with microalbuminuria or overt albuminuria, and overt albuminuria, living on two islands in the Northern Territory of Australia during 1995 to 2000. Perindopril was the primary treatment agent, and other medications were also used to control blood pressure. Control of glucose and lipid levels were attempted, and health education was offered. Evaluation of program resource use and costs for follow-up periods was done at 3 and 4.7 years. On an intention-to-treat basis, the number of dialysis starts and dialysis-years avoided were estimated by comparing the fate of the treatment group with that of historical control subjects, matched for disease severity, who were followed in the before the treatment program began. For the first three years, an estimated 11.6 person-years of dialysis were avoided, and over 4.7 years, 27.7 person-years of dialysis were avoided. The net cost of the program was 1,210 dollars more per person per year than status quo care, and dialyses avoided gave net savings of 1.0 million dollars at 3 years and 3.4 million dollars at 4.6 years. The treatment program provided significant health benefit and impressive cost savings in dialysis avoided.

Women’s Wellness after Cancer Program Study (WWACP)– A multi centre randomised controlled trial examining the benefits and cost effectiveness of an Evidenced Based, e-health intervention

Background Advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment have significantly improved survival rates, through their subsequent health needs are often not adequately addressed by current health services. National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Partnerships Project awarded a national collaborative project to develop, trial and evaluate clinical benefits and cost effectiveness of an e-health enabled structured health promotion intervention - The Women’s Wellness after Cancer Program (WWACP). The aim of this e-health enabled multimodal intervention is to improve health related quality of life in women previously treated for target cancers. Aim The WWACP is a 12-week web based, interactive, holistic program. Primary outcomes for this project are to promote a positive change in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and reduction in Body Mass Index (BMI) in the women undertaking WWACP compared to women who receive usual care. Secondary outcomes include managing other side effects of cancer treatment through evidence-based nutrition and exercise practices, dealing with stress, sleep, menopause and sexuality issues. Methods The single-blinded multi-center randomized controlled trial recruited a toatl of 330 women within 24 months of completion of chemotherapy and /or radiotherapy. Women were randomly assigned to either a usual care or intervention group. Women provided with the intervention were provided with an interactive iBook and journal, web interface, and three virtual consultations by experienced cancer nurses. A variety of methods were utilized, to enable positive self- efficacy and lifestyle changes. These include online coaching with a registered nurse trained in the intervention, plus written educational and health promotional information. The program has been delivered through the e-health enabled interfaces, which enables virtual delivery via desktop and mobile computing devices. Importantly this enables accessibility for rural and regional women in Australia who are frequently geographically disadvantaged in terms of health care provision. Results Research focusing on alternative methods of delivering post treatment / or survivorship care in cancer utilizing web based interfaces is limited, but emerging evidence suggests that Internet interventions can increase psychological and physical wellbeing in cancer patients. The WWACP trial aims to establish the effectiveness of delivery of the program in terms of positive patient outcomes and cost effective, flexibility. The trial will be completed in September and results will be presented at the conference. Conclusions Women after acute hematological, breast and gynecological cancer treatments demonstrate good cancer survival rates and face residual health problems which are amenable to behavioral interventions. The conclusion of active treatment is a key 'teachable moment' in which sustainable positive lifestyle change can be achieved if patients receive education and psychological support which targets key treatment related health problems and known chronic disease risk factors.