Fußballfans im Training

Background

The prevalence of obesity and chronic diseases in Germany is rising. Although men are exposed to higher risks, they do not attend weight reduction programs. For years the Scottish Premier League’s project Football Fans in Training (FFIT) program has successfully motivated men to lose weight.

Objectives

To examine if the concept of a gender-oriented weight reduction program for men can successfully be implemented into the German Football Bundesliga.

Methods

By adapting FFIT and collaborating with German Football Clubs of the Bundesliga, we aim to encourage overweight male football fans aged 35–65 to participate in a 12-week course, taking place in the very heart of their favorite team. The clubs provide their training grounds and a coach, take on the recruitment and arrange visits by prominent players for further motivation. Goals are sustainable weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.

Results

Twelve months after initiation the professional clubs 1. FC Nürnberg, Bayer Leverkusen, Darmstadt 98, Eintracht Braunschweig, FC Ingolstadt, Hertha BSC, Holstein Kiel, Mainz 05, RB Leipzig and Schalke 04 have been recruited to offer FFIT to their fans. At each club, the program has been well accepted by the fans. Preliminary results show a high attendance and success rate among the participants.

Discussion

German Football Bundesliga clubs can motivate their male fans to participate in a weight reduction program. The setting and emotional attachment to their favorite team seem to be the most effective keys to success.

     

The Role of Malaria Microscopy Training and Refresher Training Courses in Malaria Control Program in Iran during 2001 – 2011

Background

Malaria is still one of the most important infectious diseases in the world. The disease also is a public health problem in south and southeast of Iran. This study programmed to show the correlation between regular malaria microscopy training and refresher training courses and control of malaria in Iran.

Methods

Three types of training courses were conducted in this programme including; five – day, ten – day and bimonthly training courses. Each of the training courses contained theoretical and practical sections and training impact was evaluated by practical examination and multiple-choice quizzes through pre and post tests.

Results

Distribution pattern of the participants in the training and refresher training courses showed that the most participants were from Sistan & Baluchistan and Hormozgan provinces where malaria is endemic and most cases of the infection come out from these malarious areas. A total of 695 identified individuals were participated in the training courses. A significant conversely correlation was found between conducting malaria microscopy training courses and annual malaria cases in Iran.

Conclusion

Conducting a suitable programme for malaria microscopy training and refresher training plays an important role in the control of malaria in endemic areas. Obviously, the decrease of malaria cases in Iran has been achieved due to some activities that malaria diagnosis training was one of them.     

Are We Neglecting Nutrition in UK Medical Training? A Quantitative Analysis of Nutrition-Related Education in Postgraduate Medical Training Curriculums

Suboptimal nutrition is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United Kingdom (UK). Although patients cite physicians as trusted information sources on diet and weight loss, studies suggest that the management of nutrition-related disorders is hindered by insufficient medical education and training. Objectives of this study were to: (1) Quantify nutrition-related learning objectives (NLOs) in UK postgraduate medical training curriculums and assess variation across specialties; (2) assess inclusion of nutrition-related modules; (3) assess the extent to which NLOs are knowledge-, skill-, or behaviour-based, and in which Good Medical Practice (GMP) Domain(s) they fall. 43 current postgraduate curriculums, approved by the General Medical Council (GMC) and representing a spectrum of patient-facing training pathways in the UK, were included. NLOs were identified using four keywords: ‘nutrition’, ‘diet’, ‘obesity’, and ‘lifestyle’. Where a keyword was used in a titled section followed by a number of objectives, this was designated as a ‘module’. Where possible, NLOs were coded with the information to address objective 3. A median of 15 NLOs (mean 24) were identified per curriculum. Eleven specialties (25.6%) had five or less NLOs identified, including General Practice. Surgical curriculums had a higher number of NLOs compared with medical (median 30 and 8.5, respectively), as well as a higher inclusion rate of nutrition-related modules (100% of curriculums versus 34.4%, respectively). 52.9% of NLOs were knowledge-based, 34.9% skill-based, and 12.2% behaviour-based. The most common GMP Domain assigned to NLOs was Domain 1: Knowledge, Skills and Performance (53.0%), followed by Domain 2: Safety and Quality (20.6%), 3: Communication, Partnership and Teamwork (18.7%), and 4: Maintaining Trust (7.7%). This study demonstrates considerable variability in the number of nutrition-related learning objectives in UK postgraduate medical training. As insufficient nutrition education and training may underlie inadequate doctor-patient discussions, the results of this analysis suggest a need for further evaluation of nutrition-related competencies in postgraduate training.     

Körperliches Training in der Behandlung psychischer Erkrankungen

Numerous studies in healthy volunteers have demonstrated positive psychological effects of regular aerobic exercise, such as reduction of anxiety or depressive symptoms, in crease of self-esteem and improved stress management. There is also solid evidence that regular exercise is associated with therapeutic effects in psychiatric patients suffering from depressive and possibly other psychiatric disorders. The present article reviews the relevant literature and summarizes neurobiological effects of exercise, which might play a role in the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise. For instance, there is experimental evidence that regular exercise induces a downregulation of certain central serotonergic receptors, which play an important role in the pathogenesis of anxiety and depression. The last part of the article focuses on the practical aspects of how exercise programs can be utilized in the treatment of psychiatric disorders.     

Translational Research Education and Training Needs in Hawai‘i

The purpose of this needs assessment was to identify the translational research education and training needs of researchers and administrators working in Hawai‘i''s communities and to use the finding to develop an education and training plan. The assessment was led by a community advisory board with members from community health centers, social agencies, hospitals, and academia on O‘ahu. The survey, developed with input of the community advisory board, was sent to 94 administrators and researchers involved or affiliated with research being conducted in Hawai‘i. Forty-one respondents (43%) completed the survey. Respondents wanted education and training in research processes, specific research-related skills, and facilitating interactions between community and academic researchers. Sixty-one percent were interested in training related to community-engaged research and yearly seminars on “collaborative mentoring.” Popular topics of interest were related to data monitoring, networking with different cultural groups, statistics, and human subjects review. A majority of respondents wanted to attend workshops, seminars, and presentations rather than take a class. Approximately 50% of the respondents wanted to gain information through on-line training. Findings guided the development of a translational research education and training plan for the University of Hawai‘i National Institute of Health (NIH) Research Centers in Minority Institutions Multidisciplinary and Translational Research Infrastructure Expansion (RMATRIX) grant.Major Terms: community-engaged research, translational research education, translational research, health disparities     

Training in assessment and appraisal: who needs it?

The aim of this project was to develop a training programme to help consultants supervising postgraduate medical trainees to fulfil their role as Educational Supervisors. A training needs analysis was conducted which revealed that consultants did not appreciate the importance of some of their new duties. This was mainly because of the lack of clear perception of their new roles. Hence training needs to be provided.     

Training the trainers: do teaching courses develop teaching skills?

OBJECTIVE: This paper reports on consultants' self-assessed changes in their teaching and training practices over an 8-10-month period. It compares the changes between a group undergoing a 3-day teaching course (participants) and a sample group taken from the course waiting list (controls). METHOD: A questionnaire listing 18 teaching skills was given to the participants immediately prior to the course and 8-10 months later, and to the controls at the same time intervals. Respondents were asked to rate their ability, frequency of use of each skill, as well as their teaching confidence and effectiveness. Additionally, the second questionnaire asked respondents to identify changes they had made to their teaching. A total of 63% (54) of participants and 51% (23) of controls completed both questionnaires. Changes of 2 + on the rating scales were seen as genuine. The number of such changes was calculated for each individual and on each skill for the 2 groups. Data were analysed using a Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: The majority of course participants reported positive changes in teaching ability on a significantly greater number of skills than did the control group. As a group, changes in ability in 16 of the teaching skills were significantly greater for the participants than for the controls. Increased ability resulted in participants' increased frequency of use of only 4 of the teaching skills. The majority in the participant group reported changes to their teaching. Only a minority in the control group reported such changes. These changes were consistent with course topics and the teaching skills needed to meet General Medical Council recommendations for the education of new doctors. CONCLUSIONS: The teaching course is an effective vehicle for increasing consultants' teaching skills.     

Assessment of Student Interprofessional Education (IPE) Training for Team-Based Geriatric Home Care: Does IPE Training Change Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes?

Our study assesses changes in students’ knowledge and attitudes after participation in an interprofessional, team-based, geriatric home training program. Second-year medical, physician assistant, occupational therapy, social work, and physical therapy students; third-year pharmacy students; and fourth-year dental students were led by interprofessional faculty teams. Student participants were assessed before and after the curriculum using an interprofessional attitudes learning scale. Significant differences and positive data trends were noted at year-end. Our study suggests that early implementation, assessment, and standardization of years of student training is needed for optimal interprofessional geriatric learning. Additionally, alternative student assessment tools should be considered for future studies.     

Can Mentoring or Skill Training Reduce Recidivism? Observational Study with Propensity Analysis

We compared juvenile offenders' recidivism following nonrandom assignment to juvenile diversion (JD, n = 137), JD plus skill training (ST, n = 55), or JD plus mentoring (MEN, n = 45). Intake characteristics that distinguished intervention groups were used to calculate assignment propensity scores. After propensity score blocking balanced intake characteristics, ST proved more cost effective than MEN, achieving a 14% relative reduction in recidivism at a savings of $33,600 per hundred youths. In ST, 37% were rearrested 2 years or more after intake, compared to 51% in MEN and 46% in JD. In two of five propensity subclasses, time to first rearrest was longer in ST (M = 767 days) than in MEN (M = 638 days) or JD (M = 619 days). These results argue for an experimental comparison of ST and MEN and for observational studies with propensity analysis when randomization to juvenile justice interventions is infeasible.Helberg Consulting     

Nutrition Competencies in Health Professionals’ Education and Training: A New Paradigm

Most health care professionals are not adequately trained to address diet and nutrition-related issues with their patients, thus missing important opportunities to ameliorate chronic diseases and improve outcomes in acute illness. In this symposium, the speakers reviewed the status of nutrition education for health care professionals in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Nutrition education is not required for educating and training physicians in many countries. Nutrition education for the spectrum of health care professionals is uncoordinated, which runs contrary to the current theme of interprofessional education. The central role of competencies in guiding medical education was emphasized and the urgent need to establish competencies in nutrition-related patient care was presented. The importance of additional strategies to improve nutrition education of health care professionals was highlighted. Public health legislation such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act recognizes the role of nutrition, however, to capitalize on this increasing momentum, health care professionals must be trained to deliver needed services. Thus, there is a pressing need to garner support from stakeholders to achieve this goal. Promoting a research agenda that provides outcome-based evidence on individual and public health levels is needed to improve and sustain effective interprofessional nutrition education.     

Does Training Modality Predict Fidelity of an Evidence-based Intervention Delivered in Schools?

Prevention Science - Training prior to implementing evidence-based interventions (EBIs) is essential to reach high levels of fidelity. However, the time and cost of in-person training are often...     

Urban Preschool Teachers’ Nutrition Beliefs,Mealtime Practices,and Associations With Training

ObjectiveTo examine preschool teachers’ nutrition-related beliefs and practices and explore associations with Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings (EWPHCCS) training.DesignCausal-comparative study using a post-only, cross-sectional survey exploring teachers’ nutrition-related beliefs and mealtime practices.SettingNew York City preschools serving low-income children.ParticipantsEthnically diverse preschool teachers (n = 660), 420 (response rate 90.4%) with EWPHCCS training and 240 (response rate 57.1%) without training.Main Outcome MeasuresTeachers’ beliefs about their preschool nutrition environments and compliance with recommended mealtime practices.AnalysisAnalysis of variance and hierarchical linear modeling.ResultsOverall, teachers reported generally favorable beliefs about their preschool nutrition environments and compliance with recommended mealtime practices. EWPHCCS teachers reported more favorable scores on beliefs and practices than nontrained teachers. Teachers who were not parents reported significantly lower scores on beliefs and practices than teachers who were parents. White teachers and the least experienced teachers reported the lowest scores on compliance with mealtime practices.Conclusions and ImplicationsEWPHCCS training was associated with higher scores on both beliefs and practices. However, school-level policy and leadership may also be important. Providing specific training for preschool directors and addressing food quality may further improve teachers’ nutrition-related attitudes, beliefs, and practices.