2 research outputs found
The Obesity Epidemic: Survey of Current Physical Therapy Trends in North Dakota
Background and Purpose. Many different health professionals are involved in the prevention and treatment of obesity. The APTA believes that physical therapists should be in a leadership role among other health care providers in providing patient education and instruction regarding physical activity. The purpose of this study was to determine current practice trends among physical therapists in the state of North Dakota relating to patients who are overweight or obese.
Subjects and Methods. Three hundred surveys were mailed to randomly selected physical therapists licensed in the State of North Dakota. The survey consisted of23 questions concerning level of training, referral rates, comfort level in treating patients who are overweight or obese, and interventions provided to these patients.
Results. Of the 300 surveys sent out, 136 (45.3%) were completed and returned for inclusion in this study. Those physical therapists who indicated they had advanced training did not have significantly higher comfort level in treating patients who are overweight or obese. Similarly there was no significant difference between advanced training and discussion or recording of weight status. Seventy-five percent of therapists surveyed had not received any referrals for weight management in the past year. Appearance, weight/height measurements, body mass index (BMI), and patient opinion were the most commonly used methods to assess weight status. The most frequently used interventions included patient education, aerobic exercise, and strength training.
Discussion and Conclusion. Physical therapists have appropriate education to identify at-risk patients and provide intervention to improve weight status, but are not currently active in promoting themselves as members of the weight management team. Additional training may be necessary in the areas of objective methods of assessing weight status and weight management programs for patients with other co-morbidities
Research Priorities for Neglected Infectious Diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean Region
Dujardin, J. C. et al. 5 p.-1 tab.Global priorities for research in neglected
infectious diseases (NIDs) can be assessed
in different ways, but it is important to
realize that regional priorities may significantly
differ one from another. The region
of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
is—along with Africa and Asia—more
affected by NIDs than other regions of the
world. Some of the Latin American NIDs
are common to other continents, while
others are very specific or disproportionately
affect the Latin American region [1–
3] (Table 1). Because of its huge ecological
diversity, ongoing environmental changes,
and massive migrations, LAC is also a
catalyst for the (re-)emergence and spreading
of NIDs, both inside and outside the
subcontinent. Following a colloquium on
NIDs in LAC held in Lima, Peru, between
12 and 14 November 2009, a thematic
workshop was organized with the support
of the European Commission (EC). It
involved 29 scientists (16 from the Americas,
two from the Democratic Republic of
Congo and India, respectively, and nine
from Europe) working on different NIDs
and representing several research areas
from basic to applied. This report summarizes
the consensus comments of the expert
group after oral and written consultation. It
is envisaged that this document should
stimulate a debate within the scientific
community and serve as a recommendation
for future actions by international or
regional funding agencies in the area of
NIDs in LACThis work was supported by the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation of the Belgian Government (framework agreement 03, project 95502) and the European CommissionPeer reviewe