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PloS One 2023UniSA's Invictus Pathways Program (IPP), a service program, was originally developed to assist veterans to train for and participate in the Invictus Games. More...
INTRODUCTION
UniSA's Invictus Pathways Program (IPP), a service program, was originally developed to assist veterans to train for and participate in the Invictus Games. More recently, the scope of the IPP has widened to support and improve wellbeing and facilitate post traumatic growth and recovery among participants who are living with physical and mental health injuries and conditions. This paper describes the components of the IPP and reports its process evaluation.
METHODS
Underpinned by a pragmatic approach, data related to participant and student involvement in the IPP, the number of participant training sessions, session attendance, program activities and events, and program fidelity were compiled from process documentation that had been collected between 2017 and 2020, inclusive. Following ethics approval, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants of the IPP, members of their family support network, and university staff to understand the operations of the IPP and satisfaction with the program.
FINDINGS
There was high fidelity for the student-led exercise training aspects of IPP; however, data collection relevant to participants' psychological outcomes, and non-training IPP events and activities did not always occur as intended. Between 2017 and 2020, 53 veterans had participated in or were still participating in the IPP, and 63 allied health students had completed placements as student trainers. Fifty-three individual training sessions were delivered in 2017, increasing to 1,024 in 2020. Seventy-one interviews were completed with key IPP stakeholders. The qualitative analysis identified four higher order themes: Implementation and fidelity of the IPP, Satisfaction with the IPP, Areas of the IPP requiring improvement and suggestions for change, and Sustainability of the IPP. Satisfaction was generally high for the IPP, although there were factors that negatively impacted the experience for some participants and their family support network. Suggestions for improvement to program components and delivery aspects were made during the interviews, and the precariousness of IPP funding and sustainability was raised as an ongoing concern.
CONCLUSION
This process evaluation has demonstrated that the physical activity training components of the IPP were delivered with high levels of fidelity, and that satisfaction with the IPP is mostly high, although there are areas that could be improved. There is a need for a more structured approach to the ongoing evaluation of the IPP. This includes ensuring that program staff have a shared understanding of the purpose of evaluation activities and that these activities occur as intended. Beyond this is the need to secure funding to support the sustainability of the IPP, so that it can continue to contribute to the wellbeing of veterans living with physical and mental health conditions, and their families.
Topics: Humans; Allied Health Personnel; Students; Personal Satisfaction; Program Evaluation
PubMed: 38011165
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293756 -
Annals of Human Biology Jun 2020During adolescence, deselection from sport occurs during team try-outs when month of birth, stage of growth and maturation may influence selection.
BACKGROUND
During adolescence, deselection from sport occurs during team try-outs when month of birth, stage of growth and maturation may influence selection.
AIM
The purpose of this study was to identify differences in growth and maturity related factors between those selected and deselected in youth sports teams and identify short-term associations with continued participation.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Eight hundred and seventy participants, aged 11-17 years, were recruited from six sports try-outs in Saskatchewan, Canada: baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer and volleyball. Two hundred and forty-four of the initial 870 (28%) returned for follow-up at 36 months. Chronological (years from birth), biological (years from age at peak height velocity (APHV)) and relative (month of birth as it relates to the selection band) ages were calculated from measures of date of birth, date of test, height, sitting height and weight. Parental heights were measured or recalled and participant's adult height predicted. Reference standards were used to calculate -scores. Sports participation was self-reported at try-outs and at 36-month follow-up.
RESULTS
There was an over-representation of players across all sports born in the first and second quartiles of the selection bands ( < 0.05), whether they were selected or deselected. -scores for predicted adult height ranged from 0.1 (1.1) to 1.8 (1.2) and were significantly different between sports ( < 0.05). Height and APHV differences ( < 0.05) were found between selected and deselected male participants. In females only weight differed between selected and deselected female hockey players ( < 0.05); no further differences were found between selected and deselected female participants. Four per cent of deselected athletes exited sports participation and 68% of deselected athletes remained in the same sport at 36 months, compared with 84% of selected athletes who remained in the same sport.
CONCLUSIONS
It was found that youth who attended sports team's try-outs were more likely to be born early in the selection year, be tall for their age, and in some sports early maturers. The majority of both the selected and deselected participants continued to participate in sport 36 months after try-outs, with the majority continuing to participate in their try-out sport.
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Development; Athletic Performance; Child; Child Development; Female; Growth; Humans; Male; Saskatchewan; Youth Sports
PubMed: 31960720
DOI: 10.1080/03014460.2019.1707870 -
Frontiers in Physiology 2023There is a growing interest in the scientific community about the progression and congruity in the performance of talented participants who complete representing...
There is a growing interest in the scientific community about the progression and congruity in the performance of talented participants who complete representing different nations in the most important international events. The prediction of incoming performances is nowadays in demand with the objective of returning in talent investment. Talent identification programs have tried to select and develop sports talent over years. However, to our knowledge, there is a lack of research about success in swimming World Championships (WCs) performance considering continents-country and how successful outcomes are influenced by these variables. Therefore, the primary goal is to analyze the effect of early specialization comparing the performance progression model of the countries gathered by continents. Participant's data from all Junior and Senior WCs between 2006 and 2017 from International Swimming Federation (FINA). One-way ANOVA, ANCOVA and regression model were used to explain whether the variable category, age, best z-score, experience, and continent influences the performance obtained in Absolute WC. Significant differences ( < 0.01) were found between the average performance obtained by the two different categories (junior: swimmers participating in junior WCs before senior WCs; senior: swimmers participating in senior WCs without previous participation in junior WCs), where swimmers from category junior showed significant better performance's times than seniors, except in America. ANCOVA results showed that generally, the greatest differences where in the earliest ages, with best performance registered in category junior in all the continents. Also, the experience was a significant variable in the general model. Swimmers who had participated in junior category prior absolute obtained better performance's times than those swimmers who participated directly in absolute, in the first participation in senior WC. Thus, early specialization is a key factor to obtain better results in senior WCs for all the continents, except in America.
PubMed: 37288433
DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1075167 -
Disability and Rehabilitation Jun 2024To understand the pathways of children with disability participating in gymnastics in Victoria, Australia.
PURPOSE
To understand the pathways of children with disability participating in gymnastics in Victoria, Australia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A sequential explanatory mixed-method study design was used. Participants completed an online survey, with selected participants purposively invited to undertake semi-structured interviews via videoconference. Quantitative survey data was analysed using descriptive statistics with preliminary findings informing the invitation of interview participants and refinement of interview questions. Qualitative survey and interview data were analysed together using thematic analysis to create themes. Data was combined to create a conceptual model.
RESULTS
Fifty-eight parents consented to participate in the study with eight interviews conducted. Key themes were: (1) Tailored, accessible, supportive environments and programs make a difference, (2) An explicitly inclusive club culture helps young people get and stay involved, (3) Coach knowledge about engaging children with disability is valued, (4) Enjoyment, recognition, and achievement facilitate ongoing participation, and (5) Gymnastics has physical and social benefits for children with disability. The findings inform a conceptual model that describes three key stages along a pathway to participation including; choosing gymnastics as a sport, selecting a club, and ongoing participation.
CONCLUSION
To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore participation of children with disability in gymnastics in Australia. These findings provide guidance to those supporting children with disability to participate in gymnastics (e.g., policy makers, club owners, coaches, and allied health professionals) regarding creating more inclusive environments and experiences at each stage of participation.
Topics: Humans; Gymnastics; Child; Male; Female; Disabled Children; Victoria; Adolescent; Qualitative Research; Surveys and Questionnaires; Parents; Interviews as Topic
PubMed: 37287346
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2221460 -
Cureus May 2020The construct of reliability in health professions education serves as a measure of the congruence of interpretations across assessment tools. When used as an assessment... (Review)
Review
The construct of reliability in health professions education serves as a measure of the congruence of interpretations across assessment tools. When used as an assessment strategy, healthcare simulation serves to elicit specific participant behaviors sought by medical educators. In healthcare simulation, reliability often refers to the ability to consistently reproduce a simulation and that reproducing a simulation setting can consistently expose participants to the same conditions, thus achieving simulation reliability. However, some articles have expressed that simulations are vulnerable to error stemming from design conceptualization to implementation, and the impact of social factors when participants interact and engage with others during participation. The purpose of this definitional review is to examine how reliability has been conceptualized and defined in healthcare simulation, and how the attributes of simulations may present challenges for the traditional concept of reliability in health professions education. Data collection and analysis was approached through a constructivist perspective and grounded theory strategies. Articles between 2009-2019 were filtered applying keywords related to simulation development and design. Data winnowing was structured around a framework viewing simulation as a social practice where participants interact with simulation setting attributes. Healthcare simulation setting reliability is not directly defined but described as errors introduced by the interactions between simulation design attributes and tasks performed by simulated participants. Based on the ontology of simulation's design attributes believed to introduce setting errors, lexical terms related to reliability suggest how simulated participants are trained to refine or maintain their performance tasks that aim to mitigate errors. To achieve reliability in health professions education (HPE) and healthcare simulation, both domains seek to assess the consistency of a construct being measured. In HPE, reliability refers to the consistency of quality measures across a range of psychometric tests used to assess a participant's medical aptitude. In healthcare simulation setting, reliability refers to the consistency of a simulated participant (SP) performing a task that is tailored to mitigate errors introduced by simulation design attributes. Consequently, inconsistencies in SP performance subject participants to setting errors exposing them to unequal conditions that influence competency achievement. What is already known on this subject: Performance competency assessment using healthcare simulation is increasingly common. The types of design attributes incorporated into a simulation setting. The use of incorporating simulated participants into a simulation setting. Simulated participants require training prior to simulation setting implementation. What this paper adds: Identifies attributes of a simulation setting that are most commonly thought to interfere with setting reliability. Identifies the relationships among setting attributes and simulated participant performances that influence setting reliability. Identifies terms tied to the achievement of simulation setting reliability. Examines simulated participant training processes aimed to mitigate errors introduced by simulation design attributes.
PubMed: 32542164
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.8111 -
BMC Medical Ethics Aug 2022The twenty-first century has witnessed an exponential increase in healthcare quality research. As such activities become more prevalent, physicians are increasingly...
BACKGROUND
The twenty-first century has witnessed an exponential increase in healthcare quality research. As such activities become more prevalent, physicians are increasingly needed to participate as subjects in research and quality improvement (QI) projects. This raises an important ethical question: how should physicians be remunerated for participating as research and/or QI subjects?
FINANCIAL VERSUS NON-MONETARY INCENTIVES FOR PARTICIPATION
Research suggests participation in research and QI is often driven by conditional altruism, the idea that although initial interest in enrolling in research is altruistic or prosocial, decisions to actually perform study tasks are cost-benefit driven. Thus, the three models commonly employed to appropriately compensate participants (in-kind compensation such as travel reimbursement, paying market rates for the subject's time, and paying market rates for the activity asked of the participant) are a poor fit when the participant is a clinician, largely due to the asymmetry between cost and benefit or value to the participant. Non-monetary alternatives such as protected time for participation, continuing education or maintenance of certification credit, or professional development materials, can provide viable avenues for reducing this asymmetry.
CONCLUSION
Research and QI are integral to the betterment of medicine and healthcare. To increase physician participation in these activities as the subject of study, new models are needed that clarify the physician's role in research and QI as a subject. Non-monetary approaches are recommended to successfully and ethically encourage research and QI participation, and thus incorporate these activities as a normal part of the ethical clinician's and successful learning healthcare system's world view.
Topics: Certification; Health Services Research; Humans; Physicians; Quality Improvement; Quality of Health Care
PubMed: 35964081
DOI: 10.1186/s12910-022-00817-5 -
Substance Use & Misuse 2021There is an association between sports participation and substance use. However, there is some evidence that intramural sports in high school may not have the same...
There is an association between sports participation and substance use. However, there is some evidence that intramural sports in high school may not have the same effect. Therefore, the objective of this research was to examine the longitudinal associations between intramural participation in high school and substance use. This study used a three-year linked sample (2016-2018) of grade 9 and 10 (ages 13-17) Canadian high school students in the COMPASS (Cannabis use, Obesity, Mental health, Physical activity, Alcohol use, Smoking, Sedentary behavior) study (=7,845). Students reported their participation in intramurals over time (consistent, none, initiate, intermittent, and quit) and their substance use behaviors (binge drinking, cannabis use, cigarette use, and e-cigarette use). Mixed effects models were used. 42% of students did not participate in intramurals. For binge drinking, male students who never participated had lower odds (0.66 [0.47-0.93]) compared to consistent intramural participators. Female (3.50 [CI: 1.34-9.16]) and male students (1.97 [1.28-3.02]) who did not participate in any intramurals were more likely to use cannabis than consistent participators. Male students who did not participate were also more likely to use cigarettes (1.81 [1.05-3.12]). No associations were found between intramural participation and e-cigarette use. Intramural participation may be associated with increased binge drinking among male high school students. More promisingly, consistent participation in intramurals may be protective against cannabis use among male and female students and cigarette use among male students.
Topics: Adolescent; Canada; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Female; Humans; Male; Schools; Substance-Related Disorders; Vaping
PubMed: 33821756
DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2021.1901932 -
Disability and Rehabilitation.... May 2021Participation in outdoor recreation is associated with improvements in mental, emotional, and physical health. Individuals with impairments affecting mobility, such as...
PURPOSE
Participation in outdoor recreation is associated with improvements in mental, emotional, and physical health. Individuals with impairments affecting mobility, such as wheelchair users, face environmental, physical, and social barriers to participation in outdoor recreation. There is limited research on outdoor recreation participation among wheelchair users, especially concerning informal recreational opportunities. Formal programmes that offer access to outdoor recreation are often oversubscribed and also do not enable opportunities to participate more spontaneously.
OBJECTIVES
(1) To explore the experiences and impact of participation in outdoor recreation activities by wheelchair users, with an emphasis on more informal activities; and (2) to identify perceived barriers and facilitators to participation in outdoor recreation activities.
METHODS
Semi-structured interviews were the main means of data collection in this interpretive description study; this was supplemented by photographs of activity involvement provided by participants. These data were analysed thematically.
RESULTS
Fifteen Canadian wheelchair users participated in the study. Three themes emerged following analysis: (1) Into the Woods explores participants' current outdoor recreation experiences, (2) Ain't No Mountain High Enough looks at the barriers and challenges participants face, and (3) Just Around the Riverbend discusses participants' desired changes to enable their further participation.
CONCLUSIONS
The study highlighted participants' current experiences, their perceived barriers, and several ways to enhance outdoor recreation participation among wheelchair users, including: developing new adaptations, creating policies, increasing access to affordable equipment and programmes, and reducing barriers in built and natural environments.Implications for rehabilitationWheelchair users participate in a wide variety of outdoor activities.Wheelchair users experience various barriers and challenges when participating in outdoor recreation.Despite recent improvements, environmental changes are needed to allow wheelchair users to access outdoor recreation.Further development of adaptive equipment is needed in order for wheelchair users to access their desired outdoor recreation activities.
Topics: Canada; Disabled Persons; Humans; Recreation; Wheelchairs
PubMed: 31937161
DOI: 10.1080/17483107.2019.1710772 -
Exploratory Research in Clinical and... Sep 2023Students participating in student-run clinics (SRCs) have opportunities to develop and practice beneficial skill sets, including empathy and interprofessional...
BACKGROUND
Students participating in student-run clinics (SRCs) have opportunities to develop and practice beneficial skill sets, including empathy and interprofessional collaboration.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to assess whether participation in an underserved SRC impacts the development of empathy and interprofessional skills in pharmacy and medical students.
METHODS
This study assessed empathy and interprofessional skills development through a self-assessment survey. The survey included the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) to assess empathy, the Attitudes Towards Health Care Teams/Team Skills Scale (ATHCTS/TSS) to assess interprofessional team dynamics, and a free-text response section. Participants were grouped based on whether they participated in the SRC (intervention group) or did not participate in the SRC (control group). A subgroup analysis was performed based on the participants' discipline (medicine vs. pharmacy). To compare differences in IRI, ATHCTS, and TSS scores between study groups, independent samples -tests were performed. A thematic analysis was used for qualitative data.
RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences between intervention and control groups in IRI, ATHCTS, or TSS scores. Subgroup analyses showed no significant differences in scores of student pharmacists or medical students. For both disciplines, the thematic analysis revealed the most common positive themes identified were "real-world patient interaction and care," "impact on practice/career development." Alternatively, it revealed the highest reported negative themes identified as "time management and operational difficulties" and "concerns about the quality of/access to care".
CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that involvement in an SRC neither improves nor hinders a learner's development of empathy and interprofessional team skills. Qualitatively, students reported that participation in an SRC benefited their learning and helped develop their skills, like empathy and team dynamics, in an interprofessional setting. Future research with longitudinal monitoring or alternative assessment tools is recommended.
PubMed: 37521018
DOI: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2023.100306 -
European Journal of Cardiovascular... Mar 2024Women are underrepresented in cardiovascular trials. We sought to explore the proportional representation of women in contemporary cardiovascular research and the... (Review)
Review
AIMS
Women are underrepresented in cardiovascular trials. We sought to explore the proportional representation of women in contemporary cardiovascular research and the factors (barriers and enablers) that affect their participation in cardiovascular studies.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Multiple electronic databases were searched between January 2011 and September 2021 to identify papers that defined underrepresentation of women in cardiovascular research and/or reported sex-based differences in participating in cardiovascular research and/or barriers for women to participate in cardiovascular research. Data extraction was undertaken independently by two authors using a standardised data collection form. Results were summarised using descriptive statistics and narrative synthesis as appropriate.From 548 identified papers, 10 papers were included. Of those, four were conducted prospectively and six were retrospective studies. Five of the retrospective studies involved secondary analysis of trial data including over 780 trials in over 1.1 million participants. Overall, women were reported to be underrepresented in heart failure, coronary disease, myocardial infarction, and arrhythmia trials, compared to men. Barriers to participation included lack of information and understanding of the research, trial-related procedures, the perceived health status of the participant, and patient-specific factors including travel, childcare availability, and cost. A significantly higher likelihood of research participation was reported by women following a patient educational intervention.
CONCLUSION
This review has highlighted the underrepresentation of women in a range of cardiovascular trials. Several barriers to women's participation in cardiovascular studies were identified. Researchers could mitigate against these in future trial planning and delivery to increase women's participation in cardiovascular research.
REGISTRATION
The protocol was published on the public Open Science Framework platform on 13th August 2021 (no registration reference provided) and can be accessed at https://osf.io/ny4fd/.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Retrospective Studies; Myocardial Infarction; Coronary Disease; Heart Failure
PubMed: 37201192
DOI: 10.1093/eurjcn/zvad048