What are the effects of providing evidence‐based information on eating disorders and their treatments? A randomized controlled trial in a symptomatic community sample

Aim: We hypothesize that a reason for the infrequent uptake of treatments by people with eating disorders is poor knowledge about treatments and outcomes for eating disorders (ED‐Mental Health Literacy; ED‐MHL). Our aim was to test putative health benefits of a brief ED‐MHL intervention. Methods: In a community‐based two‐phase survey, 122 young women (mean age 28.5 SD 6.3 years) with ED symptoms meeting DSM‐IV criteria for clinical severity were randomized to receive either a brief ED‐MHL intervention (comprising information about efficacious treatments, reputable self‐help books and where to go for further information and/or services) or information about local mental health services only. All were given feedback on their scores on measures of ED symptoms and quality of life. ED‐MHL, ED symptoms and health‐related quality of life were assessed prior to the intervention and at 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐up. Results: One hundred and two participants (84%) completed follow‐up at 12 months. Symptomatic improvement and changes in specific aspects of ED‐MHL, namely, less pessimism about how difficult EDs are to treat and improved recognition and knowledge, as well as increased help seeking, were observed in both groups. Differences between groups were uncommon but compared with control participants, those in the intervention group had improved health‐related quality of life. Conclusions: A brief community‐based intervention aimed to improve knowledge and beliefs about EDs and their treatments may be a valuable first step in improving health‐related outcomes for people with ED, but more research is needed.     

Does training sitting balance on a platform tilted 10° to the weak side improve trunk control in the acute phase after stroke? A randomized,controlled trial

Background: Trunk performance and sitting balance, especially lateral sitting control, are important predictors of functional outcome after stroke. However, no studies have focused only on trunk function in the frontal plane for persons with acute-phase stroke.

Objective: To investigate the effects of lateral sitting training on a tilting platform in persons with stroke.

Methods: An assessor-blinded, randomized, controlled trial was carried out involving inpatients at a stroke rehabilitation center. Patients were allocated to either an experimental group (n?=?15) or a control group (n?=?15). The experimental group sat without leg support on a platform tilted 10° to the paretic side in the frontal plane, while the controls sat on a horizontal platform. Both groups were asked to move their trunk laterally from the paretic side to the nonparetic side. In addition to conventional therapy, this training was performed 60 times/session, with 6 sessions/week. Trunk function was assessed using the Trunk Control Test (TCT), and the ability to move the trunk laterally was evaluated kinematically. Measurements were performed at baseline and after training. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to test the significance between and within treatments for each dependent variable.

Results: None of the demographic data differed between the groups. After training, a significant improvement was noted in the experimental group compared to the controls in the TCT and the ability for lateral trunk transference (P?<?0.05, 1???β?=?0.98, effect size?=?0.4).

Conclusion: Lateral sitting training on the tilting platform improved the impaired trunk function of persons with stroke.