Clinical trajectories of hand function impairment in systemic sclerosis: an unmet clinical need across disease subsets.

Background: Hand involvement is an early manifestation of systemic sclerosis (SSc), culprit of diagnosis and classification, and recognised major driver of disability. Impairment of hand function burdens both limited and diffuse cutaneous subsets and therefore could be targeted as 'basket' endpoint in SSc. Nevertheless, its natural history in current standard of care is not well characterised, limiting the design of targeted trials.

A mixed-methods evaluation of a health-promoting café located in a small health service in rural Victoria, Australia.

Introduction: Residents of rural areas internationally typically experience chronic disease risk profiles worse than city dwellers. Poor diet, a key driver of chronic disease, has been associated with unhealthy food environments, and rural areas often experience limited access to healthy, fresh and affordable food.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the first three years of a health promoting social enterprise café established in a small rural health service.

Web-Based Technologies to Support Carers of People Living With Dementia: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Informal carers play a significant role in supporting people living with dementia; however, carers in rural areas are often isolated, with limited access to support services. Although dementia-friendly communities provide valued support for carers, access to them is limited as they are few and geographically dispersed.

Objective: This study's aim was to increase support and services for rural informal carers of people living with dementia by using information and communication technologies accessed through an integrated website and mobile app-the Verily Connect app.

A rural community moves closer to sustainable obesity prevention - an exploration of community readiness pre and post a community-based participatory intervention.

Background: Understanding levels of community readiness can result in prevention efforts that align with communities' ability and capacity for change and, therefore, be more effective and sustainable. Our study aimed to use baseline (pre-intervention) community readiness scores to assist with the development of obesity prevention strategies, and to assess changes in community readiness over time (pre/post- intervention), to provide evidence of intervention impact.

Method: Our study was located in a rural and remote area of Victoria, Australia.

An Evidence-based Approach to Developing the Collaborative, Client-Centred Nutrition Education (3CNE) Framework and Practice Points.

Purpose: The purpose of this, the third phase of a 3-phase research project, was to develop guidelines for client-centred nutrition education (NE).

Methods: A 3-phase study was conducted using a progressive development design, where each phase informed the subsequent phase. Phase 1 was a national online survey of dietitians' perceptions of consumers' NE needs and preferences; results informed the Phase 2 national online survey of consumers about their NE needs and preferences.

Caring for people with dementia in residential aged care: successes with a composite person-centered care model featuring Montessori-based activities.

Person-centered models of dementia care commonly merge aspects of existing models with additional influences from published and unpublished evidence and existing government policy. This study reports on the development and evaluation of one such composite model of person-centered dementia care, the ABLE model. The model was based on building the capacity and ability of residents living with dementia, using environmental changes, staff education and organizational and community engagement.

Experiences of people of Acadian descent receiving hemodialysis in southwest Nova Scotia.

We conducted a group interview with five hemodialysis patients of Acadian descent. Our purpose was to learn about their intakes of Acadian foods so we could tailor our advice for other Acadian patients receiving hemodialysis. This approach builds on evidence that addressing cultural aspects of food choice and aligning dietary recommendations with usual intakes create optimal conditions for diet adherence while preserving personal habits and heritage.

Dietitians' perceptions of precepting: knowledge, skills, attitudes, barriers, and training.

Purpose: The extent to which dietitians agreed or disagreed with key informants' perceptions of precepting knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA), training needs, and barriers was determined.

Methods: A 98-item survey was developed and distributed electronically to Dietitians of Canada members (n=5376).

Results: Of the 750 respondents who completed the survey (14% response rate), more than 95% agreed that preceptors should have knowledge of promoting learning and skills acquisition, and of learner assessment and evaluation.

Dietitian preceptor knowledge, skills, attitudes, and training: key informant perceptions.

Purpose: Through consultation with Canadian dietitian informants, we aimed to identify the desired knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) for preceptors, training opportunities, and the barriers that prevent preceptor training.

Methods: In this qualitative study, an open-ended survey was sent electronically to 100 key informants across Canada. Informants had experience as preceptors or with dietitian preceptors.

Toward evidence-based, client-centred nutrition education guidelines: dietitian and consumer survey results.

Purpose: Dietitian and consumer perspectives on nutrition education needs and preferences were explored, as these relate to health status

Methods: Phases 1 and 2 of a three-phase, mixed-methods study are reported. Phase 1 was a national online survey of dietitians, which was designed to inform the development of a consumer survey (Phase 2). Consumers responded to an online survey about their demographics, medical conditions, and nutrition education needs (what they wanted to learn) and preferences (how they wanted to learn).

Exploring the use of videotaped objective structured clinical examination in the assessment of joint examination skills of medical students.

Objective: Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a key part of medical student assessment. Currently, assessment is performed by medical examiners in situ. Our objective was to determine whether assessment by videotaped OSCE is as reliable as live OSCE assessment.