Background: Digital health interventions show promise for weight management. However, few text-based behavior change interventions have been designed to support patients receiving intragastric balloons, and none have simultaneously evaluated weight loss, psychological well-being, and behavior change despite the crucial interplay of these factors in weight management.
Objective: This study aims to assess whether a health coach-led, asynchronous, text-based digital behavior change coaching intervention (DBCCI) delivered to participants receiving an intragastric balloon and its aftercare program was feasible and acceptable to participants and supported improved outcomes, including weight loss, psychological well-being, and lifestyle behavior change conducive to weight loss maintenance.
Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) are a recommended treatment for glomerular proteinuria. Frequency of response to ACEi and the association of achieving proposed urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPC) targets on survival is unknown.
Objectives: To determine response rates to ACEi therapy and whether a positive response is associated with improved survival.
A 7 yr old female neutered domestic shorthair was presented with a 2 mo history of lethargy and hyporexia progressing to anorexia. Initial diagnostics indicated pancreatitis with secondary hepatic lipidosis. Supportive care, including the placement of an esophageal feeding tube, was initiated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Previous studies focused on the benefits of acute exercise on cognition and mood have mostly used specialized laboratory-based equipment, thus little is known about how such protocols generalize to naturalistic settings. Stair climbing is a simple and readily accessible means of exercise that can be performed in naturalistic settings (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: In the UK, smokers who use stop smoking services (SSSs) are four times more likely to stop smoking than smokers who do not. Attendance has declined, warranting the development of interventions to address this. StopApp is a novel, brief online behaviour change intervention designed to address common barriers to SSS attendance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFrameworks to support the application of behaviour change theory to the choice of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) in designing digital behaviour change interventions (DBCIs) are becoming well established, and have been employed by the authors in the development of StopApp. However, guidance on the next stage—effective operationalisation (translation) of these BCTs to a digital context, including the precise delivery and design of “behavioural intervention technology” (BIT) elements, is still in its infancy. This is despite growing recognition of the need to optimise engagement and usability, alongside a theoretical basis, for intervention effectiveness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSmoking in pregnancy remains a global public health issue due to foetal health risks and potential maternal complications. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to explore: (1) whether digital interventions for pregnancy smoking cessation are effective, (2) the impact of intervention platform on smoking cessation, (3) the associations between specific Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) delivered within interventions and smoking cessation and (4) the association between the total number of BCTs delivered and smoking cessation. Systematic searches of 9 databases resulted in the inclusion of 12 published articles (n = 2970).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: within challenging work environments, midwives and student midwives can experience both organisational and occupational sources of work-related psychological distress. As the wellbeing of healthcare staff directly correlates with the quality of maternity care, this distress must be met with adequate support provision. As such, the identification and appraisal of interventions designed to support midwives and student midwives in work-related psychological distress will be important in the pursuit of excellence in maternity care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Behavioural support for smoking cessation in pregnancy can be effective; however, many pregnant women face barriers to seeking support to stop smoking. Some digital interventions have been found to be effective for smoking cessation in the general population and may be effective for supporting cessation in pregnancy due to their flexibility and the potential for personalisation. To date, there is limited evidence of the effectiveness of digital interventions for smoking cessation in pregnancy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSmokers who attend NHS Stop Smoking Services (SSS) are four times more likely to stop smoking; however, uptake has been in decline. We report the development of an intervention designed to increase uptake of SSS, from a more motivated self-selected sample of smokers. In Phase 1 we collected data to explore the barriers and facilitators to people using SSS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCochrane Database Syst Rev
December 2015
Background: The Internet could provide a means of delivering secondary prevention programmes to people with coronary heart disease (CHD).
Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of Internet-based interventions targeting lifestyle changes and medicines management for the secondary prevention of CHD.
Search Methods: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, in December 2014.
Problem: Midwifery practice is emotional and, at times, traumatic work. Cumulative exposure to this, in an unsupportive environment can result in the development of psychological and behavioural symptoms of distress.
Background: As there is a clear link between the wellbeing of staff and the quality of patient care, the issue of midwife wellbeing is gathering significant attention.