Anolis smaragdinus

Number of Pages: 14Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Assessing the wider implementation of the SHARP principles: increasing physical activity in primary physical education

To assess the wider application of the SHARP (Stretching whilst moving, High repetition of skills, Accessibility, Reducing sitting and standing, and Promotion of physical activity) Principles intervention on children's moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in physical education (PE), when applied by teachers and coaches. A quasi-experimental intervention was employed in nine primary schools (experimental, n = 6: control, n = 3) including teachers (n = 10), coaches (n = 4), and children (aged 5 to 11 years, n = 84) in the West Midlands, UK. Practitioners applied the SHARP Principles to PE lessons, guided by an innovative behaviour change model. The System for Observing Fitness and Instruction Time (SOFIT) was used to measure children's MVPA in 111 lessons at pre- (n = 60) and post-intervention (n = 51). Seven interviews were conducted post-intervention to explore practitioners' perceptions. Two-way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) revealed that teachers increased children's MVPA by 27.7%. No statistically significant change in children's MVPA was observed when taught by the coaches. The qualitative results for teachers were 'children's engagement', a 'pedagogical paradigm shift', and 'relatedness'; and for coaches 'organisational culture' and 'insufficient support and motivation'. The SHARP Principles intervention is the most effective teaching strategy at increasing MVPA in primary PE when taught by school based staff (rather than outsourced coaches), evidencing increases almost double that of any previously published study internationally and demonstrating the capacity to influence educational policy and practice internationally.Published versio

An analysis of medical futility dilemmas

Medical futility has caused serious dilemmas in the fields of medicine and bioethics recently. It has become more confusing due to the use of high technological equipment and medicines that are given to prolong life and interrupt the natural process of death; Therefore, we have created a dilemma of medical futility. Until recently, not many steps have been taken to address futile or inappropriate care that is given to a large number of the population, but with healthcare costs rising substantially, the time has come when these issues must be addressed; This thesis will include a short history of medical futility, the ethics of futility and how ethical principles are used in decision maKing Patient rights and advance directives will be addressed and case law will be presented; Finally, policy recommendations will be presented and the reason why these recommendations would be advantageous to the public will be discussed

Creating an Equitable Future in Washington State

Creating an Equitable Future in Washington State: Black Well-Being & Beyond is the first in a series of reports assessing barriers to success for Black Washingtonians—including access to and quality of education, housing, jobs and health care.Published in 2015 in collaboration with the Washington Commission on African American Affairs and the African American Leadership Forum–Seattle, the report represents an ongoing effort to elevate and amplify the voices of Black Washingtonians in the decision-making processes that influence their everyday lives.The report seeks to:Identify and evaluate obstacles to economic security, to education opportunities, and to equity in the criminal justice system, in health and in civic engagement.Support a public dialogue on race generally, but be specific about the unique experiences of Black people in Washington state.Contribute to a movement that builds an equitable future for Black Washingtonians and supports community-driven public policy solutions

A novel experience-based internet intervention for smoking cessation : feasibility randomised controlled trial

The iPEx programme presents independent research funded by the UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research funding scheme (RP-PG-0608-10147). The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors, representing iPEx, and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The relationship between posttraumatic symptoms and African American male students' third grade reading scores on standardized tests

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between posttraumatic symptoms and the third grade reading achievement of African American males on standardized tests. Parents of retained third grade and current fourth grade African American male students (n = 85) of two schools in Southeast Texas completed the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children (TSCYC). Analysis included scores from the TSCYC and reading scale scores on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) for each student. Four multiple regression analyses were conducted and resulted with the first hypothesis being partially accepted as posttraumatic symptom scales significantly predicted reading scale scores, r2 = .24, p < .03, with posttraumatic intrusion in the non-clinical group significantly predicting reading scale scores (sr2 = .15). The second hypothesis was partially accepted with trauma-related symptoms where the overall model was statistically significant, r2 = .28, p < .01, with anger/aggression having the greatest impact. There was no significant effect on reading scale scores in the clinical group. These findings have implications for school counselors, clinicians, counselor educators, teachers, and administrators

Effects of mental health training on capacity, willingness and engagement in peer-to-peer support in rural New South Wales

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Rural Australians experience significant barriers in accessing mental health services, some of which may be overcome by increasing mental health literacy in rural communities. This paper evaluates Mental Health Support Skills (MHSS), short training courses developed by the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP). MHSS was designed to build the capacity of community members and gatekeepers to identify people with mental health concerns and link them to appropriate resources or services. METHODS: Program data from April 2017 to March 2020 were analysed to assess the reach and outcomes of MHSS training. Training feedback was collected through a post‐training survey, completed directly after courses, and a follow‐up survey two months after training. An app used by RAMHP coordinators (the trainers) recorded the geographic and demographic reach of courses. RESULTS: MHSS was provided to 10,208 residents across rural New South Wales. Survey participation was 49% (n = 4,985) for the post‐training survey and 6% (n = 571), for the follow‐up survey, two months post‐training. The training was well‐received and increased the mental health understanding and willingness to assist others of most respondents (91%‐95%). Follow‐up survey respondents applied learnings to assist others; 53% (n = 301) asked a total of 2,252 people about their mental health in the two months following training. Those in clinical roles asked a median of 6 people about their mental health, compared to 3 for those in nonclinical roles. Most follow‐up survey respondents (59%, n = 339) reported doing more to look after their own mental health in the two months after training. CONCLUSION: These results are encouraging as they suggest that short‐form mental health training can be an effective tool to address poorer mental health outcomes for rural residents by improving the ability of participants to help themselves and the people around them. SO WHAT? Serious consideration should be given to short mental health courses, such as MHSS, to increase literacy and connection to services, especially in rural areas