The initial psychometric properties for the Total Body Developmental Sequences for youth with visual impairments

Youth with visual impairments often show difficulties with gross motor skills regardless of age or sex. Gross motor skills support positive developmental trajectories for health warranting the need for assessment. The Total Body Developmental Sequences (TBDS) are fast, easy-to-use, indices of gross motor development with relatively unknown psychometric properties for youth with visual impairments. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the TBDS with a secondary purpose to evaluate differential effects of biological sex, age, and degree of vision on gross motor skills. Youth with visual impairments (N?=?57, ages 9 – 19 years, Boys?=?23, Girls?=?34) completed the TBDS and the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-3). Results showed good initial psychometric properties (r?=?.89, α?=?.84, p?<?.001). Furthermore, the participants in this sample showed significant differences in gross motor skills based upon degree of vision (p?<?.05) but not sex or age (p?>?.05). The TBDS may now be used as an initial gross motor screening tool for youth with visual impairments. This initial screen (TBDS) is warranted as youth with visual impairments may show arrested development which may be exacerbated with more severe visual impairments.

     

A new intervention to improve work participation of young adults with physical disabilities: a feasibility study

Aim

The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of a new intervention to improve work participation of young adults with physical disabilities, addressing (1) implementation and costs and (2) preliminary effectiveness.

Method

Twelve young adults with physical disabilities (six males, six females; age 19–28y, median age 21y 6mo) participated in a 1‐year multidisciplinary vocational rehabilitation intervention. In a pre–post intervention design, we assessed implementation and costs as well as preliminary effectiveness in terms of employment and occupational performance using questionnaires and interviews. We tested pre–post differences with the McNemar test for proportions and the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test for scores on occupational performance; p‐values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Additionally, we assessed work participation at follow‐up after 2 years and 3 years.

Results

The intervention was implemented in an outpatient rehabilitation clinic for young adults. The median cost per participant for 1 year was €3128, which is an equivalent to the cost of 72 contact hours per participant. Post intervention, and at 2 years and 3 years follow‐up, a significantly higher proportion of participants were employed (8/12 post vs 2/12 pre‐intervention; p<0.05), with the ratio of those in paid to unpaid employment being 4:4, 5:3, and 7:1 respectively. Participants showed improved occupational performance in work, self‐care, and leisure.

Interpretation

Feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of the intervention are promising. Employed participants seemed to have achieved suitable and continuous employment.     

Primary HIV-1 subtype C infection in Ethiopia

Between 1997 and 2001, 1624 Ethiopian factory workers were enrolled in prospective HIV-1 cohorts in Ethiopia, at Akaki and Wonji towns. HIV-1 seroprevalence at intake was 11.8% (Akaki) and 7.1% (Wonji). HIV-1 incidence was .75 per 100 person-years (Akaki) and .35 per 100 person-years (Wonji). During follow up, CD4 T-cell counts remained significantly lower and CD8 T-cell counts significantly higher in Ethiopian seroconverters compared with Dutch seroconverters. Viral loads were lower in Ethiopian seroconverters versus Dutch seroconverters in the first months after seroconversion, subsequently increasing to similar levels. All 20 Ethiopian seroconverters were infected with HIV-1 subtype C (15 with sub-cluster C' and 5 with sub-cluster C). Viral loads were higher in sub-cluster C'-infected Ethiopian seroconverters. One subject demonstrated a window period of at least 204 days, combined with a high preseroconversion viral load and no decline of CD4 T cells over a follow-up period of at least 3 years.