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Results for “Program Effectiveness”

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At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1986

Cycling program effects on one rheumatoid arthritic.

These researchers investigated the effects of a progressive resistive, cycle ergometric exercise program on cardio-vascular endurance in one rheumatoid arthritic. The 46 yr. old, male subject exercised three days/week for 14 weeks. Workouts included interval-type training using 5 minute intervals for a total of 20-30 minutes (work rate set at 50-75 watts for each interval), not including 3-minute warm-up and cool-down periods (work rate set at zero resistance). Maximal exercise stress testing on the cycle ergometer was completed and blood samples collected before and after the exercise program. Also, psychological and physical health and lifestyle data were gathered before, during and after completion of the program. The conditioning program produced a training effect (greater than 75% of the HR max after the second exercise session) and blood values improved (10-28%) from the beginning to the end of the program. Finally, the program appeared to have a positive influence on various physical and psychological parameters as perceived by the subject and his wife.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMed1997

Rate-drop response programming.

Effective programming of the rate-drop response algorithm requires careful attention to the heart rate and blood pressure responses seen during diagnostic tilt testing. In order to undertake effective programming, additional tilt testing procedures may be necessary, and it is vital that the protocol should be identical on each occasion and very careful note taken of exact times of onset of symptoms and relative timing of onset of changes in heart rate and blood pressure. The algorithm settings in the Thera DR generator as delivered (factory or "shelf" parameter settings) must be considered nontherapeutic (an unusual situation for a pacemaker algorithm) and will require adjustment for each individual patient. Effective therapeutic settings are likely to result in an excess of pacing interventions; these, however, tend to be less symptomatic than the syncope or presyncope suffered by the patient and are generally well tolerated or not noticed.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1979

The Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP): evaluation of current program effectiveness.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Primary Mental Project (PMHP), a program for early detection and prevention of school adjustment problems. Pre- and postprogram assessments were done with 215 primary-grade children seen in PMHP, usig teacher ratings of problem behaviors and competencies, and child-aide ratings of problems. School mental health professionals judged educational and behavioral changes in project children during the year. Significant across-the board improvements were found on all criterion measures. Modest intercorrelations among criterion change estimates suggested that the observed changes were due to program, rather than halo, effects. PMHP children also improved significantly more than matched, retrospective controls.

Child↗

PubMed2000

Modeling prevention program effects on growth in substance use: analysis of five years of data from the Adolescent Alcohol Prevention Trial.

The efficacy of prevention programs is typically determined through analysis of covariance. To date, a growth curve modeling approach is not used extensively in program evaluation. However, for longitudinal data there are several advantages to using this approach as compared to methods comparing means at two time points in a piecemeal fashion. In this study, latent growth curve models were used to evaluate the effect of a program on the average level of drug use, rate of change (growth) of drug use, and acceleration or deceleration in the rate of change of drug use. The study relied on data from the Adolescent Alcohol Prevention Trial, a randomized longitudinal drug use prevention program. The program consists of drug use information, resistance skills training, and normative education components. Data regarding cigarette and alcohol use were collected over a 5-year period, grade 7 to grade 11. Students receiving the normative education program had significantly lower average levels of reported cigarette and alcohol use, lower rates of growth for reported cigarette and alcohol use, and less deceleration of reported levels of cigarette and alcohol use as compared with the control group. Growth curve analysis is a powerful and effective tool with which to model change and program efficacy.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Helping homeless mentally ill people: what variables mediate and moderate program effects?

This process evaluation study examined what variables moderate and mediate treatment effects on days in stable housing and client satisfaction for homeless mentally ill clients. In general, demographic characteristics did not moderate either outcome variable. Housing contacts, entitlement contacts, mental health contacts, and supportive services were significant mediators of the treatment effect on days in stable housing. Program contacts, mental health contacts, and supportive services were significant mediators of client satisfaction.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Partner weight status and subject weight loss: implications for cost-effective programs and public health.

This study examined the difference in body changes of subjects with overweight partners and those with normal weight partners. The 9 subjects with normal weight partners lost significantly more weight than the 14 subjects with overweight partners by the end of the one-year treatment program (27.9 lbs versus 20.2 lbs, respectively) and at 3-month follow-up (29.6 lbs vs. 17.3 lbs, respectively). It was also found that both overweight and normal weight partners lost weight incidental to treatment but as expected, body changes of overweight partners significantly decreased over time whereas body changes of normal weight partners did not. Overweight partners and subjects lost statistical equivalent amounts of weight but there was a significant correlation at posttreatment between body changes of subjects in the overweight partner group and their partners. It was concluded that if body changes of both subjects and their overweight partners are considered, couples programs might be a cost-effective and important public health approach because two individuals lose weight as inexpensively as one and more people are treated. Researchers are encouraged to report weight status and body changes of both subjects and partners in order to understand more fully the relationship between partner weight status and subject weight loss.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Evaluation of a mobile crisis program: effectiveness, efficiency, and consumer satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: The effectiveness and efficiency of a mobile crisis program in handling 911 calls identified as psychiatric emergencies were evaluated, and the satisfaction of consumers and police officers with the program was rated. METHODS: The study retrospectively examined differences in subjects' demographic characteristics, hospitalization and arrest rates, and costs for 73 psychiatric emergency situations handled by a mobile crisis team and 58 psychiatric emergency situations handled by regular police intervention during three months in 1995. Consumers' and police officers' satisfaction with the mobile crisis program was evaluated through Likert-type scales. RESULTS: Fifty-five percent of the emergencies handled by the mobile crisis team were managed without psychiatric hospitalization of the person in crisis, compared with 28 percent of the emergencies handled by regular police intervention, a statistically significant difference. The difference in arrest rates for persons handled by the two groups was not statistically significant. The average cost per case was 23 percent less for persons served by the mobile crisis team. Both consumers and police officers gave positive ratings to the mobile crisis program. CONCLUSIONS: Mobile crisis programs can decrease hospitalization rates for persons in crisis and can provide cost-effective psychiatric emergency services that are favorably perceived by consumers and police officers.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Are state immunization programs effective? Implications for the children's immunization initiative.

Several states operate universal vaccine purchase (UVP) programs aimed at ensuring adequate immunization of children. Some of these programs have been in operation for many decades. Recently, there has been a great deal of interest in implementing a federal UVP program. It is not clear, however, that such programs can significantly increase immunization levels; many nonfinancial barriers to full immunization exist and would have to be addressed. This paper uses cross-sectional data at the state level to estimate the effect of state UVP programs on the immunization levels of preschool children. The results indicate that states with UVP programs do not have significantly higher immunization rates than do other states. Therefore, it is not likely that a federal UVP program would significantly affect immunization rates.

Child↗

PubMed2001

Assessing program effects in the presence of treatment-baseline interactions: a latent curve approach.

Methods for assessing treatment effects of longitudinal randomized intervention are considered. The focus is on modeling the nonlinear relationship between treatment effects and baseline often observed in prevention programs designed for at-risk populations. Piecewise linear growth modeling was used to study treatment effects during the different periods of development. A multistep multiple-group analysis procedure is proposed for assessing treatment effects in the presence of nonlinear treatment-baseline interactions. Standard errors of the estimates from this multistep procedure were obtained using a bootstrap approach. The methods are illustrated using data from the Johns Hopkins Prevention Research Center involving an intervention aimed at improving classroom behavior.

Humans↗

PubMed1983

Systolic blood pressure and long-term practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program: effects of TM on systolic blood pressure.

Systolic blood pressure was measured in 112 subjects practicing the Transcendental Meditation (TM) and TM-Sidhi programs. The subjects were between the ages of 35 and 64 years. A significant difference was found between the systolic blood pressures of subjects (matched for sex, race, and general educational background) practicing the TM and TM-Sidhi programs and norms for the general population. This difference was independent of diet and exercise patterns but related to length of time meditating. A significant difference was also found between short-term (under 5 years) and long-term (over 5 years) participants of the TM program, covarying for age. No previous reports exist concerning the long-term effects of the TM program on blood pressure. Despite methodological problems associated with cross sectional data, the findings suggest the beneficial effects of the long-term practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi programs on systolic blood pressure. Even if self-selection plays a role, the characteristics of an easily identifiable group already showing traits beneficial to the general population deserves further study.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Evaluation of the All Stars character education and problem behavior prevention program: effects on mediator and outcome variables for middle school students.

The effects of All Stars, a character education and problem behavior prevention program, on variables theorized to mediate problem behaviors and on the problem behavior variables of substance use, sexual behavior, and violence among middle school students are reported. In an independent, randomized, single-cohort, longitudinal evaluation of the program, 1,655 students completed pretest, posttest, and 1-year follow-up surveys measuring demographics, mediating variables, and behavioral outcome variables. Results indicate that the All Stars program, when administered by teachers, had an immediate effect on mediating variables that did not persist over time. Inclusion of ethnicity in the design showed that the program, when administered by specialists, had delayed effects on mediating variables for African American and Hispanic students. However, no consistent effects were found for student problem behaviors in either condition. Implications for prevention practice and directions for future research are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Federal employees health benefits program: effective dates--OPM. Proposed rule.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing proposed regulations to change the existing Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program regulations concerning the effective date for new enrollments made by employees during the annual open season. These regulations would also change the effective date of open season changes in enrollment made by employees, annuitants, former spouses and individuals enrolled under the temporary continuation of coverage (TCC) provisions of FEHB law. The proposed regulations would standardize the effective date of most of these new enrollments or changes in enrollment. This would make it easier for employing offices and health plan carriers to administer the Program and reduce the potential for error in determining effective dates.

Chronology as Topic↗

PubMed1998

Combined exercise and motivation program: effect on the compliance and level of disability of patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of a combined exercise and motivation program on the compliance and level of disability of patients with chronic and recurrent low back pain. DESIGN: A double-blind prospective randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Physical therapy outpatient department, tertiary care. PATIENTS: Ninety-three low back pain patients were randomly assigned to either a standard exercise program (n = 49) or a combined exercise and motivation program (n = 44). INTERVENTIONS: Patients were prescribed 10 physical therapy sessions and were advised to continue exercising after treatment termination. The motivation program consisted of five compliance-enhancing interventions. Follow-up assessments were performed at 3 1/2 weeks, 4 months, and 12 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Disability (low back outcome score), pain intensity, physical impairment (modified Waddell score, fingertip-to-floor distance, abdominal muscle strength), working ability, motivation, and compliance. RESULTS: The patients in the motivation group were significantly more likely to attend their exercise therapy appointments (p = .0005). Four and 12 months after study entry there was a significant difference in favor of the motivation group with regard to the disability score (p = .004) and pain intensity (p < or = .026). At 4 months, there was a significant advantage for the motivation group in the fingertip-to-floor distance (p = .01) and in abdominal muscle strength (p = .018). No significant differences were found in motivation scores, self-reported compliance with long-term exercise, and modified Waddell score. In terms of working ability, there was a trend favoring the combined exercise and motivation program. CONCLUSION: The combined exercise and motivation program increased the rate of attendance at scheduled physical therapy sessions, ie, short-term compliance, and reduced disability and pain levels by the 12-month follow-up. However, there was no difference between the motivation and control groups with regard to long-term exercise compliance.

Abdominal Muscles↗

PubMed2000

Verifying drug abuse prevention program effects using reciprocal best friend reports.

Considerable research suggests that social influences-based drug abuse prevention programming has produced the most consistently successful preventive effects. However, a common criticism of this literature is that most prevention intervention studies rely solely on self-reported substance use. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of normative education, arguably the most successful component of social influence based prevention programs, on alcohol and cigarette consumption using both self- and reciprocal best friend reports of substance use. Analyses of subsamples of data from 11,995 students participating in the Adolescent Alcohol Prevention Trial revealed that normative education significantly delayed the onset of alcohol use across the eighth, ninth, and tenth grades among public school students. A similar but somewhat less robust pattern was found for cigarette use. These results suggest that self-report bias does not account for previous findings and demonstrate rather convincingly that normative education is an effective drug prevention strategy for public school settings.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Health risk changes with a low-cost individualized health promotion program: effects at up to 30 months.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Health promotion programs are increasingly important components of health care in an era of predominantly chronic illness preceded by identified health risk behaviors. We report a large and relatively long experience with a low-cost intervention delivered through the mail and using sequential time-oriented risk appraisal and personalized recommendations, each six months, together with self-management materials. METHODS: We performed a prospective, longitudinal, observational study of 103,937 consecutive program participants observed for at least six months and up to 30 months. The primary study endpoint is overall health risk score, with secondary analysis of individual risk behaviors. A concurrent comparison group utilizes the initial scores of new participants by calendar time over the study period. RESULTS: Strong overall positive effects were observed, with improvement in computed health risk scores over 18 months of 14.7% (p less than .0001) in those 65 and over and 18.4% (p<.0001) in those under 65. At 30 months, improvement was 18.8% (p less than .0001) and 25.7% (p less than .0001), respectively. There was improvement in self-report scores for all targeted health risk behaviors, except for pounds over ideal weight, including smoking; dietary fat, salt, and fiber; alcohol; exercise; cholesterol; and reported stress. There was progressive improvement approximating 5% each six-month period. Results were consistent across age groups 16-35, 36-50, 51-65, and over 65 and over different educational level. Results could not be accounted for by sequential changes in initial health habits of participants over time. DISCUSSION: (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

PubMed1985

Supplemental Food Program: effects on health and pregnancy outcome.

To determine the effect of participation in the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children on use of health care, health-related practices, health knowledge, and pregnancy outcome, a total of 519 pregnant women were interviewed during public health department clinics in six Alabama counties. Of the sample, 341 women were participants in the WIC program and were therefore at nutritional risk; 178 were control subjects (nonparticipants) who were not at nutritional risk. There were no significant differences in pregnancy outcome between the two groups. In fact, mean birth weight was identical (7.13 lb), and mean weight gain for WIC participants was 25.8 lb, compared to 24.9 for controls. Other findings were less positive, however. Utilization patterns and health-related practices differed little between groups. There was no significant difference in the percentage of women planning to nurse. Significantly more WIC participants had discussed nursing, but significantly fewer felt they knew how to nurse. WIC is effective in overcoming nutritional risk and improving pregnancy outcome, but its educational component needs to be strengthened.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Analysis of prevention program effectiveness with clustered data using generalized estimating equations.

Experimental studies of prevention programs often randomize clusters of individuals rather than individuals to treatment conditions. When the correlation among individuals within clusters is not accounted for in statistical analysis, the standard errors are biased, potentially resulting in misleading conclusions about the significance of treatment effects. This study demonstrates the generalized estimating equations (GEE) method, focusing specifically on the GEE-independent method, to control for within-cluster correlation in regression models with either continuous or binary outcomes. The GEE-independent method yields consistent and robust variance estimates. Data from project DARE, a youth substance abuse prevention program, are used for illustration.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

A cognitive-behavioral return-to-work program: effects on pain patients with a history of long-term versus short-term sick leave.

A cognitive-behavioral return-to-work focused program was evaluated in a randomized controlled design, and the effects were compared between two groups of women with musculoskeletal pain. One group of patients (n=36) had a history of long-term sick leave (>12 months) at the start of the program and the other (n=36) had a history of short-term sick leave (2-6 months). The outpatient treatment program, conducted by a psychologist, included 12 sessions with the primary aim to help the patients return-to-work. The treatment first included teaching of coping strategies such as applied relaxation, stress management, graded activity training and pacing. Thereafter the patients were taught how to manage difficulties at their return-to-work and how to generalize coping strategies to different risk factors at their work places. The control condition received treatment-as-usual. The results showed that the cognitive-behavioral return-to-work program was more effective than the treatment-as-usual control condition in reducing the number of days on sick leave for patients on short-term sick leave, but not for patients on long-term sick leave. The treatment program also helped the patients on short-term sick leave to increase their ability to control and decrease pain and to increase their general activity level compared to the control condition. These results underscore the need for an early return-to-work focused rehabilitation to prevent long-term sick leave and disability.

Absenteeism↗