Effectiveness of interventions for convicted DUI offenders in reducing recidivism: a systematic review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature

Abstract Background: Driving under the influence (DUI) is a major cause of death and disability. Although a broad array of programs designed to curb DUI incidents are currently offered to both first-time and recidivist DUI offenders, existing evaluations of the effectiveness of these programs have reported mixed results. Objective: To synthesize the results of DUI program evaluations and determine the strength of the available evidence for reducing recidivism for different types of programs. Methods: A systematic review of all EBSCO databases, EMBASE, PubMed, ProQuest, Sociological Abstracts and TRIS was conducted to identify evaluations of treatments/interventions to prevent DUI offenses. Additional articles were identified from reference lists of relevant articles. Results: A total of 42 relevant studies were identified by the search strategy. Of these, 33 utilized non-experimental evaluation designs or reported insufficient data to allow effect sizes to be calculated, making meta-analysis unfeasible. Evaluations of several different program types reported evidence of some level of effectiveness. Conclusion: Because of the general lack of high quality evidence assessing the effectiveness of DUI prevention programs, it is not possible to make conclusive statements about the types of programs that are likely to be most effective. Nonetheless, there was some evidence to support the effectiveness of programs that utilize intensive supervision and education. There is a need for future evaluations to adopt more scientifically rigorous research designs to establish the effects of these programs.

The National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards requirements for orientation and induction within Australian healthcare: a review of the literature

Introduction: A workplace orientation program is a core requirement of the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards in Australia. This is particularly important within healthcare as patient safety and the patient experience are at risk if the healthcare workforce is not supported with an effective orientation and induction program. Aim: This study aimed to review the literature and map the requirements of the NSQHS Standards in relation to orientation and induction. Method: This study utilised online databases to search for literature pertaining to orientation and induction within healthcare. Inclusion criteria included relevance to research questions, and originating in a country with a comparative health system to Australia. Results: The search identified a total of 202 articles of potential relevance with 42 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Articles were ranked according to hierarchy of evidence criteria for both qualitative and quantitative studies. The importance of using orientation to detail safety and quality roles, the organisations' risk management system, governance structure, operational processes and procedures was highlighted. Patient-centred care, antimicrobial stewardship, clinical handover and mechanisms for escalation of care and emergency assistance should also be covered within the orientation process. Conclusion: There is a dearth of studies in relation to orientation and induction in the healthcare literature. Orientation content is now clearly prescribed, what is lacking within healthcare is a standardised framework. Concept mapping, educational theory and adult learning methods have been shown to enhance workforce problem solving and engagement with orientation, however further research is needed to enhance practice

Current levels of salt knowledge: a review of the literature

 High salt intake increases the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Given the role of knowledge as a determinant of food intake, this paper aims to review the current levels of salt knowledge and the association between salt knowledge and dietary salt intake and salt-related dietary practices in the general population. Twenty two studies were included in the review. In general, the studies showed consumers were able to identify the health risks associated with high salt intake. However, knowledge of recommended daily intakes, understanding of the relationships between salt and sodium and foods that contribute most salt to the diet were poor. Four of the five studies which examined the relationships between salt knowledge and salt-related dietary practices reported significant associations. Two important gaps in the current literature were identified. First, there is a need for a robustly validated tool to examine salt knowledge and its impact on salt intake. Second, a comprehensive salt knowledge assessment should include assessment of procedural, as well as declarative, knowledge. © 2014, by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Do we know how to design effective health coaching interventions: a systematic review of the state of the literature

 Objective. To systematically review health coaching interventions regarding effectiveness of health coaching for specific outcomes, optimal intervention approaches, and identification of specific techniques associated with effectiveness.
Data Source. Articles were sourced from CINAHL, Global Health, PsycINFO, Academic Search Complete, Health Source, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and Medline.
Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria. Randomized controlled trials were included if the study (1) employed health coaching according to a predefined criterion; (2) clearly reported the use of health coaching; or (3) incorporated the use of coaching.

Data Extraction. Aims, participants, approach, behavior change techniques (BCTs), and findings pertaining to each study were summarized. BCTs were classified according to the CALO-RE taxonomy.

Data Synthesis. Data were synthesized by cross-tabulation of BCTs with study outcomes.
Results. Fifteen of 16 eligible studies reported a positive intervention effect in at least one outcome. Nine studies (56%) did not define health coaching; the number of intervention sessions provided ranged from 2 to 48; and in three studies, one or more intervention details were unclear. It was hence difficult to synthesize the studies to adequately address our research questions.
Conclusion. Health coaching is a promising strategy for health improvements; however, future research should ensure clarity in reporting intervention details, clearer definitions of health coaching/theoretical bases, consistency in reporting BCTs, and the inclusion of process variables as outcome measures.

Beta-lactam antibiotics as a possible novel therapy for managing epilepsy and autism, a case report and review of literature

Autism is a disorder of unknown etiology. There are few FDA approved medications for treating autism. Co-occurring autism and epilepsy is common, and glutamate antagonists improve some symptoms of autism. Ceftriaxone, a beta-lactam antibiotic, increases the expression of the glutamate transporter 1 which decreases extracellular glutamate levels. It is hypothesized that modulating astrocyte glutamate transporter expression by ceftriaxone or cefixime might improve some symptoms of autism. This case report of a child with autism and epilepsy suggests a decrease in seizures after taking cefixime

Psychosocial interventions to support partners of men with prostate cancer: a systematic and critical review of the literature

Prostate cancer poses many challenges for both the man and his partner. Partners have reported a range of issues that impact their own mental health following their partner's diagnosis of prostate cancer. The aim of this review is to summarise and critically evaluate the current literature reporting psychosocial intervention studies for partners of prostate cancer patients.

Q-fever and Australian farmers: is the health system paying enough attention? A literature review

Introduction: Q-fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii, a Gram-negative bacterium and Rickettsia-like organism. Transmitted from wild and domestic animals to humans, the most common route is inhalation of contaminated dust; however the oral route can be considered as a second pathway. Aim: to understand the reasons behind not including farming workforce and their families in the national vaccinations program. Discussion: In 1977 Q-fever became a notifiable disease nationally. Australia is the only country to have a registered Q-fever vaccine. As a result of the cost of the vaccine, Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) supply and subsidised program arrangements are based on the active cases count per year (by occupation), rather than for occupations that expose workers to high level of possible "risk". Conclusion: Australian farmers, farm managers, farm workers and their families need to be well educated about Q-fever and included in the national vaccination program.

Risky driving in young adults : A review of the literature

Young drivers aged between 16 and 25 are consistently over-represented in fatal crash statistics and are more likely than older drivers to be involved in a range of intentional risky driving behaviours, such as drink driving, speeding, drag racing, and tailgating. This paper reports the fndings of a systematic search of published peer-reviewed literature, identifying the association between age and the characteristics of risky drivers, as well as interventions that have been developed to improve their safety. The results suggest that it is young males who are predominantly involved in unsafe driving and that these drivers are generally high in reward sensitivity, have antisocial peers, and believe that they are not dangerous drivers. Further to this, deterrence-based interventions have shown limited efectiveness for the specifc category of 'hoon' drivers, suggesting the need for targeted interventions across a multitude of domains. Efective intervention requires an understanding of the antecedents of dangerous driving behaviour, and it is concluded that interventions might be most efective when targeted towards these identifed criminogenic needs.

On the effectiveness of supplemental instruction: a systematic review of supplemental instruction and peer-assisted study sessions literature between 2001 and 2010

Supplemental instruction (SI)—variously known as peer-assisted learning, peer-assisted study sessions, and other names—is a type of academic support intervention popular in higher education. In SI sessions, a senior student facilitates peer learning between undergraduates studying a high-risk course. This article presents a systematic review of the literature between 2001 and 2010 regarding the effectiveness of SI. Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Due to methodological heterogeneity and lack of consistency defining the SI treatment, qualitative synthesis methods were applied. For seven included studies, however, an effect size of SI participation on final grades was calculated, ranging from d = 0.29 to d = 0.60. The findings of the review are consistent with claims validated by the U.S. Department of Education in the 1990s that participation in SI is correlated with higher mean grades, lower failure and withdrawal rates, and higher retention and graduation rates.

Clinical placements in mental health: a literature review

Gaining experience in clinical mental health settings is central to the education of health practitioners. To facilitate the ongoing development of knowledge and practice in this area, we performed a review of the literature on clinical placements in mental health settings. Searches in Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Medline and PsycINFO databases returned 244 records, of which 36 met the selection criteria for this review. Five additional papers were obtained through scanning the reference lists of those papers included from the initial search. The evidence suggests that clinical placements may have multiple benefits (e.g. improving students' skills, knowledge, attitudes towards people with mental health issues and confidence, as well as reducing their fears and anxieties about working in mental health). The location and structure of placements may affect outcomes, with mental health placements in non-mental health settings appearing to have minimal impact on key outcomes. The availability of clinical placements in mental health settings varies considerably among education providers, with some students completing their training without undertaking such structured clinical experiences. Students have generally reported that their placements in mental health settings have been positive and valuable experiences, but have raised concerns about the amount of support they received from education providers and healthcare staff. Several strategies have been shown to enhance clinical placement experiences (e.g. providing students with adequate preparation in the classroom, implementing learning contracts and providing clinical supervision). Educators and healthcare staff need to work together for the betterment of student learning and the healthcare professions.