Prevention through Activity in Kindergarten Trial (PAKT): A cluster randomised controlled trial to assess the effects of an activity intervention in preschool children

BACKGROUND: Physical activity and motor skills acquisition are of high importance for health-related prevention and a normal development in childhood. However, few intervention studies exist in preschool children focussing on an increase in physical activity and motor skills. Proof of positive effects is available but not consistent. METHODS/DESIGN: The design, curriculum, and evaluation strategy of a cluster randomised intervention study in preschool children are described in this manuscript. In the Prevention through Activity in Kindergarten Trial (PAKT), 41 of 131 kindergartens of Wuerzburg and Kitzingen, Germany, were randomised into an intervention and a control group by a random number table stratified for the location of the kindergarten in an urban (more than 20,000 inhabitants) or rural area. The aims of the intervention were to increase physical activity and motor skills in the participating children, and to reduce health risk factors as well as media use. The intervention was designed to involve children, parents and teachers, and lasted one academic year. It contained daily 30-min sessions of physical education in kindergarten based on a holistic pedagogic approach termed the "early psychomotor education". The sessions were instructed by kindergarten teachers under regular supervision by the research team. Parents were actively involved by physical activity homework cards. The kindergarten teachers were trained in workshops and during the supervision. Assessments were performed at baseline, 3-5 months into the intervention, at the end of the intervention and 2-4 months after the intervention. The primary outcomes of the study are increases in physical activity (accelerometry) and in motor skills performance (composite score of obstacle course, standing long jump, balancing on one foot, jumping sidewise to and fro) between baseline and the two assessments during the intervention. Secondary outcomes include decreases in body adiposity (BMI, skin folds), media use (questionnaire), blood pressure, number of accidents and infections (questionnaire), increases in specific motor skills (throwing, balancing, complex motor performance, jumping) and in flexibility. DISCUSSION: If this trial proofs the effectiveness of the multilevel kindergarten based physical activity intervention on preschooler's activity levels and motor skills, the programme will be distributed nationwide in Germany

"CAN Stop" - Implementation and evaluation of a secondary group prevention for adolescent and young adult cannabis users in various contexts - study protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Current research shows that overall numbers for cannabis use among adolescents and young adults dropped in recent years. However, this trend is much less pronounced in continuous cannabis use. With regard to the heightened risk for detrimental health- and development-related outcomes, adolescents and young adults with continuous cannabis use need special attention. The health services structure for adolescents and young adults with substance related problems in Germany, is multifaceted, because different communal, medical and judicial agencies are involved. This results in a rather decentralized organizational structure of the help system. This and further system-inherent characteristics make the threshold for young cannabis users rather high. Because of this, there is a need to establish evidence-based low-threshold help options for young cannabis users, which can be easily disseminated. Therefore, a training programme for young cannabis users (age 14-21) was developed in the "CAN Stop" project. Within the project, we seek to implement and evaluate the training programme within different institutions of the help system. The evaluation is sensitive to the different help systems and their specific prerequisites. Moreover, within this study, we also test the practicability of a training provision through laypersons.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The CAN Stop study is a four-armed randomized wait-list controlled trial. The four arms are needed for the different help system settings, in which the CAN Stop training programme is evaluated: (a) the drug addiction aid and youth welfare system, (b) the out-patient medical system, (c) the in-patient medical system and (d) prisons for juvenile offenders. Data are collected at three points, before and after the training or a treatment as usual, and six months after the end of either intervention.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The CAN Stop study is expected to provide an evidence-based programme for young cannabis users seeking to reduce or quit their cannabis use. Moreover, we seek to gain knowledge about the programme's utility within different settings of the German help system for young cannabis users and information about the settings' specific clientele. The study protocol is discussed with regard to potential difficulties within the different settings.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ISRCTN: <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN57036983">ISRCTN57036983</a></p

Health Conduct and Attitude to Health Questions (Efficiency Check 1976)

Degree of familiarity as well as judgement on health education actions. Health-conscious conduct of the population and attitude to selected health risk factors. Topics: Interest in health-related information; quality of topics relevant to health; meals on working days; judgement on the group meal service; estimated daily intake of calories; subjectively correct intake of nutrition components and intake of individual nutrition elements; frequency of weighing; weight as well as height; health complaints and possibilities of precautions against selected health complaints; subjective assessment of personal condition of health; health-conscious conduct; conscious behavior dangerous to oneself; participation in medical check-ups and illnesses thus discovered; participation in medical check-ups for children; use of medications; purchase of medication with and without prescription; reasons for not using up prescribed medication; knowledge of medications not compatible with alcohol; use of household remedies; age levels for medication and semi-luxury foods, tobacco and alcohol; knowledge of users of drugs and time of last use of drugs; knowledge and use of advice centers; frequency and extent of consumption of beer, wine, champagne and spirits; occasions for use of alcohol; knowledge of health damages from use of alcohol; earlier and current use of tobacco and preferred brand of cigarettes; age at starting to smoke; length of not smoking and reasons for quitting smoking; knowledge of nicotine and tar values of one´s own brand of cigarettes; number of smokers in household and frequency of passive smoking; subjective disturbance by passive smoking; health-relevant attitudes (scale) such as e.g. attitudes to abortion, sterilization, sleeping pills and tranquilizers, medication to enhance performance, psychological illnesses, venereal diseases, good food and drink, consumption of alcohol, means of contraception, birth planning, protective vaccinations, use of medication and athletic activities; knowing or relationship with disabled; type of disability; fear of disturbances harmful to health in the future; familiarity, use and evaluation of activities of the Bundeszentrale fuer gesundheitliche Aufklaerung {Federal Center for Health Education}; subjectively adequate free time and satisfactory organization of leisure time; sources of leisure time ideas; stress from problems; subjectively adequate exercise with work and leisure time; possession of telephone and car; housing conditions and satisfaction with size of residence; noise disturbance of the residence and access to a private yard. Demography: age; sex; marital status; religious denomination; school education; vocational training; further education; occupation; employment; company size; household income; size of household; composition of household; head of household; memberships. Interviewer rating: floor of residence and presence of elevator; type of building; residential area.Bekanntheitsgrad sowie Beurteilung gesundheitlicher Aufklärungsaktionen. Gesundheitsbewußtes Verhalten der Bevölkerung und Einstellung zu ausgewählten Risikofaktoren der Gesundheit. Themen: Interesse an gesundheitsbezogenen Informationen; Qualität gesundheitsrelevanter Themen; Mahlzeiten an Werktagen; Beurteilung der Gemeinschaftsverpflegung; geschätzte tägliche Kalorienzufuhr; subjektiv richtige Nahrungsmengenzufuhr und Zufuhr einzelner Ernährungsgrundstoffe; Häufigkeit des Wiegens; Körpergewicht sowie Körpergröße; gesundheitliche Beschwerden und Möglichkeiten zur Vorsorge bei ausgewählten gesundheitlichen Beschwerden; subjektive Einschätzung des eigenen Gesundheitszustands; gesundheitsbewußtes Verhalten; bewußt selbstgefährdendes Verhalten; Teilnahme an Vorsorgeuntersuchungen und dabei aufgedeckte Krankheiten; Teilnahme an Vorsorgeuntersuchungen für Kinder; Verwendung von Medikamenten; Medikamentenkauf mit und ohne Rezept; Gründe für das Nichtaufbrauchen verschriebener Arzneimittel; Kenntnis alkoholunverträglicher Medikamente; Anwendung von Hausmitteln; Altersschwellen für Medikation und Genußmittel; Kenntnis von Drogenkonsumenten und Zeitpunkt des letzten Drogenkonsums; Kenntnis und Nutzung von Beratungsstellen; Häufigkeit und Umfang des Bier-, Wein-, Sekt- und Spirituosenkonsums; Gelegenheiten des Alkoholkonsums; Kenntnis gesundheitlicher Schäden durch Alkoholkonsum; früherer und derzeitiger Rauchkonsum und dabei präferierte Zigarettenmarke; Alter bei Beginn des Rauchens; Dauer des Nichtrauchens und Gründe für das Aufgeben des Rauchens; Kenntnis von Nikotin- und Kondensatwert der eigenen Zigarettenmarke; Anzahl der Raucher im Haushalt und Häufigkeit des passiven Rauchens; subjektive Beeinträchtigung durch passives Rauchen; gesundheitsrelevante Einstellungen (Skala) wie z. B. Einstellungen zur Schwangerschaftsunterbrechung, zur Sterilisation, zu Schlaf- und Beruhigungsmitteln, zu leistungsfördernden Arzneimitteln, zu seelischen Erkrankungen, zu Geschlechtskrankheiten, zu gutem Essen und Trinken, zum Alkoholverzehr, zu Empfängnisverhütungsmitteln, zur Geburtenplanung, zu Schutzimpfungen, zur Medikamenteneinnahme und zu sportlichen Aktivitäten; Bekanntschaft oder Verwandtschaft mit Behinderten; Art der Behinderung; Angst vor gesundheitsschädlichen Beeinträchtigungen in der Zukunft; Bekanntheit, Nutzung und Bewertung der Aktivitäten der Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung; subjektiv genügend freie Zeit und befriedigende Freizeitgestaltung; Quellen der Freizeitanregungen; Belastung durch Probleme; subjektiv ausreichende Bewegung bei Arbeit und Freizeit; Telefon- und Autobesitz; Wohnverhältnisse und Zufriedenheit mit der Wohnungsgröße; Lärmbeeinträchtigung der Wohnung und Zugang zu privatem Garten. Demographie: Alter; Geschlecht; Familienstand; Konfession; Schulbildung; Berufsausbildung; Weiterbildung; Beruf; Berufstätigkeit; Betriebsgröße; Haushaltseinkommen; Haushaltsgröße; Haushaltszusammensetzung; Haushaltungsvorstand; Mitgliedschaften. Interviewerrating: Stockwerk der Wohnung und Vorhandensein von Aufzug; Haustyp; Wohngebiet

The Situation of Expectant Mothers 1970

Situation and attitudes of expectant mothers in the Federal Republic. Topics: Sources used for information about pregnancy and participation in events for expectant mothers; health care; desired number of children in the course of time and opinion of spouse regarding this; reasons for change of desired number of children; birth planning with current child and earlier children; reasons for choice of time of pregnancy; perceived physical as well as psychological burdens and restrictions through pregnancy; ideas regarding education of the expected child; attitude to the role of women and the significance of motherhood (scale); attitude to artificial conception; problems of infertility; attitude to abortion and contraceptives; contraceptives used; evaluation of information about the family policy of the government; expected difficulties in raising children; being engaged; re-marriage and marriage duration; age of husband; month of pregnancy. Demography: age; sex; marital status; number of children; religious denomination; school education; occupation; employment; income; household income; size of household; composition of household; head of household; city size. Interviewer rating: hesitancy of respondent in specifying income.Situation und Einstellungen der werdenden Mütter in der Bundesrepublik. Themen: Benutzte Informationsquellen über Schwangerschaft und Teilnahme an Veranstaltungen für werdende Mütter; gesundheitliche Vorsorge; gewünschte Kinderzahl im Zeitverlauf und diesbezügliche Meinung des Ehepartners; Gründe für Änderung der gewünschten Kinderzahl; Geburtenplanung beim jetzigen Kind und früheren Kindern; Gründe für die Wahl des Zeitpunktes der Schwangerschaft; empfundene körperliche sowie psychische Belastungen und Einschränkungen durch die Schwangerschaft; Vorstellungen bezüglich der Ausbildung des erwarteten Kindes; Einstellung zur Frauenrolle und die Bedeutung der Mutterschaft (Skala); Einstellung zur künstlichen Zeugung; Problem der Unfruchtbarkeit; Einstellung zur Abtreibung und zu Verhütungsmitteln; benutzte Verhütungsmittel; Bewertung der Information über die Familienpolitik der Regierung; erwartete Schwierigkeiten bei der Kindererziehung; Verlobtsein; Wiederheirat und Ehedauer; Alter des Ehemannes; Schwangerschaftsmonat. Demographie: Alter; Geschlecht; Familienstand; Kinderzahl; Konfession; Schulbildung; Beruf; Berufstätigkeit; Einkommen; Haushaltseinkommen; Haushaltsgröße; Haushaltszusammensetzung; Haushaltungsvorstand; Ortsgröße. Interviewerrating: Zögern des Befragten bei der Einkommensangabe